On The Other Side Of The Spectrum
by IntoTheWilds
Summary: Spencer and Derek are happily married, until they come upon a crazed unsub who has been fiddling with the laws of the universe and has a vicious vendetta against men. Spencer gets caught in the crossfire and suddenly his world is thrown into chaos. The te
1. Prologue: Girl In The Mirror

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_I do not own Criminal Minds or its Characters!_

**_SUMMARY:_**_ Spencer and Derek are happily married, until they come upon a crazed unsub who has been fiddling with the laws of the universe and has a vicious vendetta against men. _

_Spencer gets caught in the crossfire and suddenly his world is thrown into chaos. The team fight to find a cure and even then the cosmos has more to throw at him._

_The genius is scared and doesn't know who to turn to. Not even Derek can save him from himself._

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_**_ Just a funny idea that came to me, if you'd like me to continue my flowers just say the word :D_

_IntoTheWilds_

_Xxxx_

* * *

_There's a girl in the mirror__  
I wonder who she is  
Sometimes I think I know her  
Sometimes I really wish I did_

**_Britney Spears; Girl in The Mirror_**

* * *

_Prologue:_

**Girl in the Mirror:**

Pain that was the first thing that Spencer became aware of clawing his way feebly to consciousness, his mind sluggish and body heavy. The second was voices, the low whispered kind. Derek, he recognised his husband's sultry baritone immediately and someone else, he was talking to someone else, but it wasn't a voice Spencer recognised. God, what happened? The last the genius recalled was following a lead on an Unsub, but after that it became rather fuzzy for the FBI agent. He remembered a cold room, a woman and needles. Had she drugged him? Or worse, they had already concluded she had been experimenting on her victims with lethal chemical cocktails. What her endgame was, none of them had known. No matter how hard he tried to grasp the memory and make it more substantial it slipped through his fingers and in the end Spencer decided waking up would lead to answers sooner than a battle with his own thoughts.

The voices had moved away and he couldn't help but feel glad by that. He wanted to get to the toilet himself and—oh holy Lord—they put in a catheter! Eyes still adjusting, Spencer fumbled and hissed through his teeth. Removing a catheter was not a pleasant experience and no doubt he'd be given grief for it later, but right now, he needed to relieve his bladder and he'd do it without the use of a plastic bag.

Climbing from bed was an ordeal, his body felt weird somehow and he couldn't seem to concentrate properly yet to determine why that was. Deciding it wasn't worth worry about at least for now, Spencer drifted into the bathroom slowly and gripping the disability bar, he settled himself onto the toilet. Another reason he was glad Derek had left; he truly did not need anyone seeing him so weak and helpless. Finishing up, Spencer was glad to find clarity was almost fully returned. He no longer felt as if he had had one too many tequila shots and that was when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. His face ached for a reason, a rather large bruise marred the porcelain skin of his left cheek, sneaking down past his collar...no, not his, _her_! He had lost several inches in height, his body even slimmer. Fine russet curls fell to mid back, messy from how she lay on them and every inch of her screamed femininity.

_You are my first successful creation. Women will rule the earth, and men will die out, with the select view being privileged to join us._

Oh God, oh God! What had that woman done?! The words of her final statement swam about Spencer's brain and with it the numbness receded and she finally managed to pull enough air into her lungs to do the one thing her crazed emotions wanted to do. Scream the hospital down.

And scream it down she did.

* * *

"How is she?" Hotch asked accepting the coffee from Derek scrubbing away the sleep ground into his eyes.

"Coming around according to her doctor," Derek responded fighting back an exhausted yawn, "I called Garcia again, there's still no sign of Spence. Jesus Hotch, it's been over a week!"

"I know Morgan, but when the girl wakes up, she may know—"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Never had the two FBI agents moved so fast in all their lives. Half way down the hall they almost collided with an equally as startled Emily who had swung by to check in with them and the unconscious woman. On entry they found the woman fighting fiercely against her Doctor, Nora Simpson. The woman was frantically trying to get close enough to calm her down, but to no avail. Finding an opening the petite woman bolted, only to collide with a warm body much larger then her own.

"Ma'am, ma'am I am SSA Derek Morgan with the FBI and you're at the hospital, ma'am, you need to calm down!"

Honey eyes full of terrified tears lifted to his face and it was startling how familiar the woman suddenly looked. Her breathing hitched, her screaming subsiding, but she still twisted in Derek's hold, "let me go, after almost ten years, seriously? Let me go you damn fool!"

Emily stepped forward fully intending to intervene if the need arose, but with a gesture Derek kept everyone back. He was confused by the woman's statement, it made no sense and yet the more Derek paid attention the more he saw not only was she royally pissed, but she was someone he knew. He knew that face, those burning eyes, the feel of her skin and—_Holy shit_, "S-Spencer?!"

The woman went completely still, breathing heavy, tears staining her cheeks, "D-Derek, what's going o-on? I c-can't remember anything!"

Derek sucked down a sharp breath and he wasn't the only one. Jaws had quite literally hit the floor and even Nora Simpson was looking rather flabbergasted, "S-Spencer? As in the missing agent, he's been here the whole time?!" Blue eyes fully took in Spencer's cowering form, "sweet mother of Mary, how in God's name is this possible?"

"Spencer, baby, look at me, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Um, the warehouse, then...I don't know Derek, it's all in pieces, b-but I remember the Unsub. We were wrong, it's a woman." Spencer sniffled. "Derek, I want to go home."

"I know baby, we will, okay?"

"Not to burst your bubble here, but if my Chief finds out about this, Spencer won't be going anywhere." Nora pointed out. Eyes narrowing, Derek pulled the trembling woman against him, almost daring her to take her. However, Nora had no such plans. "I've got a plan though, my patient has amnesia and for some bizarre reason she knows only two things, her first name and Derek Morgan, so I have awarded him her care till her memory returns." Nora shrugged. "It is obviously the best option until she is well again. That okay with you?"

Spencer nodded her head. If it got her out of the hospital she was all for it. Nora beamed brilliantly. Spencer didn't bother wondering why she was helping, and she wasn't about to question it either. She could stand being a woman for a while, if it meant doing it from the safety of her own home and not where she'd most likely be treated like some sort of science experiment. Just so they could avoid confusion, Nora used Spencer's middle name Andrew on her paperwork, changing it to Andrea. If anyone asked, she was Andrea Reid, Spencer Reid's younger sister.

While Derek dealt with the rest of the necessary paperwork, Spencer went with Emily and stood shyly in the doorway while Emily rooted through her go bag. "Okay, they're certainly not Dolce, but they'll do for now." Emily smiled. She was clearly trying to keep everything normal, but in all honesty, how normal could things be considering the bizarre circumstances? "Listen Reid, it's going to be okay. Think of it as a life lesson, now you can see how the fairer sex lives."

"That really does not help Emily," the genius groaned before taking the clothing. The days were going to be long and she really didn't know how she'd survive.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

JJ rummaged through file after file with no luck. They had twenty-six victims and none of them were linked to Spencer in any way! There hadn't been a new victim and the trail had without a doubt gone cold. Garcia could find nothing and the whole thing was so frustrating that JJ was half tempted to tear her hair out. Stood in the conference room, she poured over the board. Rossi returned with the coffee he had popped out for, while Kevin and Garcia chattered in tech lingo. The door opened and the agents briefly glanced up, freezing in surprise. Hotch, Emily and Morgan were no surprise, haggard looking and in need of a good meal. It was the slim woman stood directly beside Morgan that had them somewhat confused.

Garcia hadn't seen the female victim yet and recognition was quick to overwhelm the bubbly blonde, "Holy rainbow skittles, _Reid_?"

Turning the woman in question smacked Derek on the arm, "See! Garcia recognises me, but my husband? No!" Folding her arms across her chest Reid turned back toward the astounded group and flushed. They were out and out gawking at her. "Could you please not stare? This is hard enough for me already!" If she hadn't been self conscious before, she certainly was now, and it wasn't helped by the fact Emily's clothing was much too big for her.

"How did this happen?" Rossi asked once he relocated his voice.

Biting her lip, Spencer shrugged her tiny shoulders, "I don't know...I have very little memory of my time with the Unsub. But she's been doing this for a while; she said I was her first success."

"The Unsub's female?" JJ questioned once she got over the initial shock of seeing her best friend on the other side of the sexes.

"Yeah, and she hates men. She killed most of the twenty-six, but the others, she tried to change their sex."

"Why?"

"Because...She's trying to create a world without men," Spencer shrugged, "I was in and out a lot. I'm taking stabs in the dark here." Yawning Spencer smiled when Derek wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her against him, nuzzling her throat.

"Guys, I'm gonna take Spence home, she's still worn out and some proper sleep in a proper bed wouldn't do her any harm. Don't look at me like that baby girl," Derek chided, "you can bombard her tomorrow when she's rested."

"Damn straight I will my Chocolate Adonis, sleep well my baby genius," Garcia grinned impishly, "have fun."

The implication was rather obvious and cheeks flaming red, Spencer fled before Penelope could come up with anything else to add to her mortification.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Three years, that was how long Derek Morgan had been happily married to Spencer Reid. It had caused quite a stir with the FBI, going so far as to put their jobs in jeopardy, but they overcame that battle thanks to the help of the team, their families and quite shockingly Erin Strauss, who was willing to put her own job on the line and vouch for them. He had been in love with Spencer for quite some time and as it had turned out Spencer had been in love with him and it was the awkward genius who eventually took that final step to turn their friendship into something more.

To find his husband was now his wife was rather bizarre, but it was still his Spencer and he loved Spencer no matter the form the genius took. Stepping from the ensuite Derek grinned. Spencer had donned one of his old jerseys and what had once been huge on the youngster was now massive on his female frame, to the point the sleeves actually fell to her wrists and one creamy shoulder poked free. Her sable curls spilled to one side and she was absorbed in a textbook.

"What you reading baby?" Derek asked climbing up beside her. Taking a glance he blinked, "eh, why would you need to know any of that?"

"Because Derek, we've no idea how long I'm going to be stuck like this." Spencer cringed, "or worse, if it's permanent, so there are certain feminine things I'd do well to know."

"Yeah, but, a menstrual cycle," Derek chuckled. Frowning he reached out and cupped Spencer's bruised cheek, "hey, what's wrong?"

Spencer worried her lower lip, ochre eyes brimming with misery, "what if I am really stuck like this Derek? I'm not the man you married anymore; I'm not a man period!"

Derek to his credit was swift to catch on, "whoa, whoa Spence! Are you afraid I'm not attracted to you anymore?"

"How can you be? I mean—" Spencer was swiftly cut off when Derek's lips came crashing down on hers. Heat wicked and scorching shot through to her core causing her to arch with a strangled sound, wincing, Derek pulled back. "I'm sorry baby; I just wanted to show you how I feel. Did I hurt you?"

Spencer shook her head, "N-No, I, it was arousing, but not like before...I guess it sort of surprised me." Licking her lips Spencer crawled into Derek's lap, her golden irises lit up like livewires, "kiss me again Derek."

With a near growl the mocha skinned agent complied and suddenly it was all primal heat and need driven desire. It was different, the form softer, curvier, but she was still his Spencer. They came together in a fiery dance of taste and touch and when Spencer arched one final time Derek emptied his body, dissolving into the blissful warmth beneath.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

**Three Months Later...**

The Unsub, who had yet to be identified, had never been found. Her victims stopped appearing and with no further leads the BAU were taken off the case and got on with others. Spencer adapted to her new life, even if it was a little strange at first, and as long as Derek remained in love with her, she was willing to live with her knew feminine status.

Or she was until her body quite frankly betrayed her.

The bathroom tiles were cold against her feet, the sky outside the window a brilliant shade of forget-me-not blue, but Spencer didn't seem to notice. Her attention was firmly latched upon the white stick in her hand, the stick that read **PREGNANT** in bold ominous letters.


	2. 1: Uh-Oh Spaghetti-O's

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE_**_: Thank you everyone who left reviews! I hope you're enjoying it :D_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxx_

* * *

_Chapter One:_

**Uh-Oh Spaghetti-O's:**

She wanted to have a meltdown, the kind a toddler could throw on a whim, with the screaming and kicking and the general anarchy only a child in an emotional breakdown could cause. She wanted to lock herself away, close her eyes and pretend with all her might that her life was currently _not_ her life. But since that wasn't happening, Spencer settled for the next best thing. The bullpen was quiet when Spencer descended at roughly seven am. She didn't have to be at work till eight, but in need of some help, the young genius had snuck out early and to her relief the one person she wanted to see was stood in the break-room pouring coffee.

JJ looked up in surprise when Spencer all but tripping over her own feet entered the room in a whirlwind of panic. She clearly hadn't slept, her big eyes marred by deep shadows and her hair was loose, falling down her back in a dishevelled mess. She had basically thrown clothing on, her favourite cardigan—from before her transformation—drowning her petite frame and she was trembling horribly, "Spence?" JJ questioned setting her mug down and reaching for the woman, "Jesus, sweetie, are you okay?"

Spencer shook her head and wrapped her arms about her middle, "I'm so stupid JJ! I never even thought about it, three months like this and such a consequence never even crossed my mind! And then the nausea began and I only noticed that my menstrual cycle never came at all—after me dreading it so badly—so I took a test—"

"Whoa, whoa...Spencer, are you saying that you're..._pregnant_?" JJ's eyes searched her best friend's face and she didn't need to be a Profiler to see the answer written all over her, "oh my God!" And just like that Spencer burst into tears surprising the blonde to no end, "hey, hey, easy, what's with the tears?"

"I don't know! I feel all wrong, my head is a mess, and my stomach is a mess and I...Oh God pregnant JJ! I'm pregnant! Something that is physically impossible!"

"Spence," JJ laughed, "you aren't a man right now, so this is natural. Unprotected sex tends to lead to pregnancy."

With a groan Spencer dropped her head into her hands. Maybe if she kept her eyes closed long enough, all of this would simply disappear. She'd wake up and all of it would've been a bizarre dream and—oh no, _no_, crap! Turning a vicious shade of green Spencer had barely a second before she was being shoved into a chair and the break room bin was dropped into her lap. Her stomach rebelled violently and the Danish she had forced down that morning and green tea came right back up. Heaving violently the thirty-two year old clung to the bin, half aware of JJ holding back her hair and whispering soothing words of comfort. It felt as if worms were roiling in her belly, but just as quickly as the sickness had struck, it passed leaving Spencer clammy and shaking worse than before.

JJ removed the bin and pressed a glass of water into her hands. So intent on looking after her, neither woman noticed the company in the doorway, "Baby girl?" Spencer jumped and her head whipped around eyes wide. Derek scowled, "Jesus Spence, you look like hell, why did you come in? I could've called in sick and taken care of you! Come on, I'm taking you home."

"I'm not sick Derek."

"Yeah, tell _that_ to your up-chuck reflex."

Spencer looked at JJ helplessly, but the blonde's expression was clear, she had to tell him. Discreetly JJ stepped from the room and closed the door behind her. She almost ran into Garcia on her way, "Hey, what's up with Reid? Anderson says she's ill."

"She's fine; Derek's probably going to take her home."

Garcia rolled her eyes, "Typical. Even sick my baby genius just won't take a day off."

"Hey it's Spence, what are you gonna do?" Throwing her arms about her shoulder JJ lead the bubbly tech analyst away leaving Spencer and Derek to their privacy.

Derek watched Spencer fidget and pace. She hadn't been this agitated since the entire FBI division had found out about her little presto-change-o, now everyone was used to her and treated her with no less respect than before. Derek knew no one was giving her grief, it wasn't signs of cravings either. He knew the Dilaudid cravings better than any of the team. Nor was it to do with Diana or William because Spencer would've told him.

"Baby," Derek said gently, "Kid, you're scaring me. You've been sick on and off all week and I can tell you've lost weight. What's going on? Are you...are you...ill?"

"No," Spencer said hastily hating the worry she had caused her husband. God, the words were firmly lodged in her throat, but she had to say them, "I...I...I'm p-pregnant!"

The world literally froze. Derek's entire body locked, muscles tightening and all he could do was gape at his spouse. He had always wanted kids; he and Spencer had discussed adoption when they were ready to be parents, but to have a child that was both biologically his and Spencer's? It was his dreams come true! Spencer studied her husband going through several different emotions in the space of five seconds and finally to her surprise a grin transformed his face. Derek was across the room in a three strides and cupping his wife's face he kissed her feverishly.

Spencer squirmed, "Derek, I just vomited!"

"Don't care," Derek chided kissing her again a hand dropping to press against her belly, "a baby Spence _our_ baby!"

Spencer turned positively ashen, "I...I never said I was going through with the pregnancy Derek."

Derek's stomach plummeted. Holy hell, she couldn't mean that! She just couldn't! "It's our baby Spencer," Derek croaked, "You can't possibly mean that!"

"It's my body Derek," Spencer argued feebly, "its bad enough that I'm not even myself, but to have a...a _parasite_ leeching off my body!"

"Parasite," Derek hissed taking a step away from her, "Our baby is a parasite? What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me? Are you actually asking me that? God damn it Derek, I haven't felt right in three months and now I'm pregnant! I don't want to do this, I don't want to grow heavy, or feel something moving inside me," Lip quivering Spencer hugged her waist and fought back tears, "I just want to be _me _again."

"You're going to have an abortion?" Derek eventually choked out, bile rising in his throat at the very idea.

"Yes," Spencer sniffled miserably, "please don't hate me Derek. _Please!_"

Derek said nothing. His lips had pulled into a tight line and when Spencer reached for him, the older agent flinched away from his partner's touch. A cruel ache shot through Spencer and sobbing silently she darted past her husband, unsurprised when he didn't follow and yet fully aware of the damage she had just done.

Derek hurt right down to his bone marrow. It felt as if someone had stabbed him with a thousand knifes and every inch of his skin seared maliciously. Their baby was growing right now inside Spencer and she so callously wanted to snuff that life out? How could she?! How _dare_ her!

"Morgan, Morgan," JJ stopped beside him eyes huge, "what the hell happened? Spence just ran out in tears!"

But Derek was not listening. Shoving past JJ, he returned to his desk and buried his pain in paperwork. Files blending together till he didn't have to think anymore.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Spencer stumbled through the door of her house shoving a confused Clooney away. She could barely see through her tears, it was a miracle she had even made it home! The living-room was too far and with her heart breaking, Spencer gave in and landed firmly on her butt crying great heaving sobs. The look that had been in Derek's eyes would be one she'd never forget; it was as if her words had killed a small part of him and the very idea was so horrible that Spencer could barely breathe. When the genius' cell phone let out a shrill whine, the youth startled and with a shaky hand Spencer pulled it from her pocket. **GARCIA** flashed on screen and the FBI agent was reluctant to answer, in fact thumb grazing over the end call button she cancelled it and promptly turned it off tossing the phone at random.

The phone came apart, battery going one way and the shell of the phone going the other, but Spencer didn't care. Her stomach was doing back-flips once again and by sheer force of will she managed to keep—well—her stomach acids down. It was all she had left to puke up. On his rump, Clooney whined. The Rottweiler didn't dare approach, which was just as well; Spencer was in no mood to entertain the needs of Derek's damn dog.

A clock ticked somewhere in the house, Spencer could hear the hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen and Clooney continued to make noises. Outside the streets were busy with children and people tending to their lawns and all of a sudden it was just too much, too loud and suffocating. With a strangled sound Spencer dragged her sorry self up off the floor and on noodle like legs she struggled the whole way to the master bedroom. Clooney being a clever animal didn't follow and emotions crazed, probably partly down to her hormonal turmoil, Spencer grabbed the first bag she could and began shoving an array of clothes into it. Toiletries followed, and grabbing stationary from her wardrobe Spencer wrote a hasty letter dropped it onto the hall cabinet near the front door and was gone.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

"Derek Morgan!"

Derek's head snapped up and he frowned. Garcia was stomping toward him and she was clearly on the war path, "baby girl?"

"Don't you _baby girl_ me you brute! What the hell did you do to Spencer?" Garcia stopped hands on her hips and fumed, "JJ said she ran out in hysterics and now she's not answering her phone! Hell, she turned it off, what the hell Derek?" The thunderous look that came over the agent's face was enough to even have Garcia taking a step back, "D-Derek?"

"For once Penelope...Mind your own business!" Derek bit out every word and with each syllable Garcia cringed.

"Morgan!" With an insufferable sigh Derek turned to face Emily and naturally there was Rossi and neither agent looked happy, especially Emily. She was nothing short of pissed. "What the hell's with the attitude?"

"Would you all get off my back?"

"Spencer was so upset," Garcia said in a small voice doing her best to fight back tears, "never has she been that upset, we're just concerned. What's going on Derek?"

"Nothing," he spat standing up, his entire stance screaming aggression.

"Is her current situation becoming too much?" Rossi asked watching the agent's face for possible answers.

"No!"

"Then _what_ Derek," Emily snapped cutting the bullshit, fully aware of JJ and Hotch's eyes joining the confrontation.

Derek felt cornered; they were all looking at him, waiting and—His eyes narrowed suddenly, dark hues zeroing in on JJ's face, "You _knew?"_

"Only since this morning," JJ quickly defended, "and I thought you'd be happy!"

"Happy? JJ, I was ecstatic until Spencer told me she was not going through with it!" Defeated, deflated, and aching in more ways than he ever thought possible Derek sank into his chair and with a shaky sigh gave in and told the rest, "Spencer's pregnant."

The reactions were mixed. Garcia, Rossi and Hotch were nothing short of astounded, while Emily was the first to speak, "O-Oh my God! Morgan, congrad—"

"Don't, Emily," Derek moaned in agony, "she's getting rid of it."

"No," Garcia said abruptly shaking her head, "nuh-uh, not your baby, you need to get off your ass, stop moping and go talk some sense into her! The Derek I know wouldn't just give in like this, it's your baby too and Reid is just freaked."

"Getting angry with her won't solve anything," JJ added gently. "And remember Morgan, no matter her decision; don't punish her for it, by asking her to go through with the pregnancy you're asking something huge of her that Spence mightened be able to go through with."

"JJ," Garcia exclaimed, "you can't be serious?"

"You have to see it from Spencer's point of view," Rossi intervened, "three months ago she couldn't get pregnant, she was male and even now her mind is male. Carrying a child, giving birth, it's something that is instinctual for females, but Spencer despite her current body is _not _female."

Right now, Derek wanted to peel his skin off rather than have Spencer say once again, how it was her body and so her choice, but infuriatingly the team were right. Their bickering was giving him a headache. Garcia was firmly on his side, but the rest were arguing both points equally. Either way, there was only one way to deal with it. He had to go home and talk to his wife.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

The house was quiet when Morgan got home that evening after work. Spencer hadn't contacted him in hours, and he had given up trying to contact her. Clearly she wasn't up to talking. Dropping his things in the hall, Derek found Clooney all but digging a hole at his bedroom door. Maybe Spencer had gone to lie down? She had been really tired lately, the baby most likely having her drained. Thinking of the baby made the man wince, but muscling past his emotions he decided JJ was right, either way he had to be there for Spencer.

"Baby," Derek called through the door, "you sleeping pretty girl? I'd really like to talk."

No answer met his request and a heavy feeling settled in his gut. Something was off. Reaching for the door, Derek thought to hell with pleasantries and barged right in. What he found was not something he had expected, or wanted, "S-Spence? Spencer, baby?" The room looked as if it had been ransacked, clothes at random littered the floor, and drawers hung open while the wardrobes gaped wide. In the bathroom Spencer's toiletries were gone, even her toothbrush.

"Oh God," Derek groaned. He suddenly felt sick.

Turning, he almost tripped over Clooney to get out of the room and on his way to the front door that's when he saw it. Spencer's cell phone lay in pieces, while the battery had been left on the hall cabinet and under it was an envelope addressed to Derek. With shaking fingers the agent pulled free a single piece of stationary, it said;

_I can't make you understand,_

_I can only hope you forgive me._

_I can't be what you want,_

_I'm sorry_

_-S_

The pain was swift; his heart tearing asunder and dropping to his knees, Derek gave in and let the first tears fall.


	3. 2: I'm like A Bird I'll Only Fly Away

**_DISCLAIMER:_**_ I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_**_ Thank you everyone for your reviews! Dead chuffed for all the thoughtful opinions! Hope you like Chapter two!_

_IntoTheWilds_

_Xxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Two:_

**I'm like A Bird I'll only fly away:**

Since her initial confession, meltdown and then decision to—well—runaway, Spencer had reigned in her emotions enough so when she was walking past the threshold of Bennington Sanitarium hours later, in the wee hours of the next morning, her expression was one of serenity, with no sign of the turmoil roiling inside. The stairs up was almost an ordeal. Drained from everything that had simply gone wrong, she wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and not wake up for a week. Like everyone else, the Bennington staff, Dr Norman and Diana had been made aware of Spencer's predicament, but this was the first time Spencer would see her mother face to face.

Clutching her messenger bag to her, Spencer left her hastily stuffed suitcase with the secretary and went in search of Dr Norman. Luckily, the man wasn't that hard to find. He was just stepping from her mother's room, "Dr Reid," the man blinked surprised, "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah, I, eh...I know I should have called." Fidgeting, Spencer dragged a trembling hand nervously through her hair, "Um, is my mom up for visitors?"

The woman was in one word—freaked—even from where he stood Dr Norman could see the violent tremors rolling through her thin frame and she was much too pale, even for Spencer's alabaster complexion. Spencer was on edge and though the doctor itched to pry, he decided it was really no business of his—as long as her emotional antics didn't upset Diana of course. He was reluctant, but both would most likely benefit from the meeting, "She's been asking for you and today is a rather good day, so yes, if you want, you can see her."

Spencer's relief was written all over her face and once again Dr Norman pulled back from asking her what exactly was wrong. Thanking him strongly, the youthful Genius darted past him and four doors down she found her mother's room. As always, the door was wide open. To some it appeared a welcoming gesture, but to those who knew, it was a precaution brought on by Diana's delicate hold on reality. The woman in question looked less frazzled then she usually did. Her blonde hair, for once, wasn't in a mess of tufts from Diana yanking at it and her face was one of contentment as she lost herself to the pages of one of her all time favourite books. Spencer herself had read it a dozen times and her mother had read it for her a dozen more when she was a child.

As if sensing her presence, Diana's head lifted and her bright eyes took in the uncertain girl just barely over her threshold. She was fully lucid, Spencer realised, and that could either be a very bad or very good thing depending on how her news would be taken, "H-Hey mom." Holy God, yeah, she didn't at all sound half petrified!

Diana watched her a moment more before a warm smile stole over her face, "Come now Spencer, you know you don't need to wait for my permission to come in." Her calm demeanour was startling, she hadn't even flinched at her son now turned daughter and as usual the woman had clearly read her fumbling child's thoughts, "Spencer, if you're worried about my thoughts on your current sex-role reversal you are being absurd. You are my child and I love you no matter what." Diana frowned suddenly. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, honestly, I—"

"Spencer Andrew Reid! That didn't work the time Max Evans broke your wrist and it certainly won't work now!"

Cringing, Spencer bit the bullet and stepped into the room. She really was foolish if she had thought she could pull that on her mother of all people, who had so much more insight then a trained profiler it bordered on scary. Setting her messenger back down, Spencer sank onto Diana's bed and prayed feverishly for the right words. Of course the words never came. Great, her brain was a traitor in the highest form. Diana's hands suddenly curved about her own and Spencer couldn't help the startled wince, or the shakes that continued to rack her body. Diana said nothing and that right there was Spencer's undoing.

"Mom," she whimpered tears welling up in her big honey eyes, "I'm so scared...I don't know what to do and Derek is so angry at me."

"Hey now baby," Diana chided gently, "Derek loves you, whatever he's cross about will pass, you know that. Deep down, you know you do Spencer."

"Mom...I-I'm pregnant and I...I don't want it, I'm not built for this sort of thing and Derek doesn't understand that." She was rambling and knew it, but she couldn't bring herself to stop, "I can't carry a baby to term. I c-can't!"

Diana never let her daughter go, but her expression had chilled somewhat, "And why not?" Okay chilled was putting it mildly, her whole facade had turned positively arctic, "I lived in the worst fear I have ever known for nine months to carry you Spencer. It nearly destroyed me, but the gift I received at the very end was so very worth it. Why would this child be any different?"

"It's not the same! I'm not supposed to be able to get pregnant!" Spencer argued shrilly, "Three months ago it wasn't remotely a probability and now...Derek's offspring is growing inside me, i-it's not natural!"

"Says who? For someone so wonderfully gifted Spencer you can be so unintelligent sometimes!" Spencer tensed when her mother's hand suddenly pressed against her belly, "this, what you have here, is a miracle! Do you know how many women and men both would give their left arm for children of their own? A gift has been granted to you and Derek in the form of a child. I'm your mother Spencer and I will support you no matter your decision, but I implore you to really think about it. Whether that can be done here, at home or on some soul searching journey across the U.S, give your unborn child a chance at life."

Well..._Damn_. Spencer never could fight her mother's logic, which was truly a pain in the ass! Diana had both taken her side and yet hadn't which to repeat the above, was a pain in the _ASS!_ It was Diana's subtle way of agreeing with Derek without inferring that her daughter was utterly wrong a tactic Spencer knew well and loathed and yet having said that, not even Spencer could deny her mother's common sense.

"Alright Mom," Spencer said eventually, "I came here to seek your advice and I'm going to take it. Maybe a trip away from everything would do me good. It would give me a chance to really think."

"You should visit your father."

Spencer blinked owlishly, "Um, why?"

"Because the man is your father and he loves you despite what you may think," Diana scolded with a mothering smile, "You'll be fine baby. You are by far the strongest person I know and if it's any constellation, you would make a fine parent to any child."

"I truly hope your right, either way; you've given me a lot to think about."

And even with the worms twisting in her gut, Spencer thought there was some sense to her mother's suggestion. She'd go to see her father. No harm in getting a man's perspective right, while also stalling the inevitable.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

William Reid very rarely took vacations and even then his back yard, a book and the warm Las Vegas sun was enough for him. His Bengal, Pippin lay curled up on his lap, the snow spotted cat lording it over his master, long tail flicking back and forth every now and again. Absently William reached down and scratched his pet behind the ears, earning himself an engine like purr, until something else drew the feline's attention. Pip's stance were more curious then threatening and curious himself now William twisted on his lounge chair and frowned in surprise when he found a honey-eyed, chestnut haired woman stood in his garden.

Had she hopped his gate?

"Can I help you?" The Lawyer asked nudging Pippin aside so he could stand. His tone was both polite and yet stiff. He didn't appreciate trespassers. To his surprise the woman's rather familiar eyes widened and her creamy cheeks flushed with heat, "Miss...?"

"I, eh, really thought someone would've spoken to you...eh...Dad."

Wait..._What?_ Dad...? That meant...Holy _shiiiiiit!_ "S-Spencer," the man finally blustered eyes widening in astonishment, "mother of God, _Spencer?!"_

To hear her name, well, half shrieked from the man was actually nothing new. In her youth Spencer had often done insufferable things to draw it out. Taking apart the TV once came to mind, "Um, well, yes...yes it's me."

Yup, he needed a drink, a rather large drink, preferably vodka..._Russian vodka_, without a mixer! Legs like jelly William carefully lowered himself down onto his chair and several times he tried forming a sentence, but his brain and mouth had seemingly disconnected. Nervously Spencer watched him. He had paled considerably and all manner of emotions was fighting to take up residence on his face, none of which thank God were remotely hostile. Hmm, at least not yet, it was still early after all. In the end William settled for the simplest question, "How?"

Taking a patch of grass Spencer sat cross-legged, smiling when Pippin crawled into her lap, "um, basically an Unsub who was messing with chemicals to change the sex of someone. I don't fully understand _how_, just that it _is_ and we're still trying to find her, so it can be reversed."

"And if it can't?"

"Then I suppose, you'll have to get used to the idea of having a daughter rather than a son."

A tender smile came upon William's face, "Spencer, I'm your father and you're my child, if you suddenly grew a tail and antlers, I'd still love you. How's Derek taking it?"

"I'm still his Spencer no matter what I look like on the outside." Spencer sighed. "I'm pregnant."

Okay, even now, Spencer and her father were still technically estranged, so predicting his reaction to anything was rather impossible if for her profiler brain, so when William Reid let out a whoop and lifted her into a bone crunching hug, Spencer had never been so astonished in her life!

William set her down grinning like a loon, "Oh Spencer, a baby, _my_ first grandkid, congratulations!" And then he caught her expression and her sudden arrival made some sense, "you're not happy about it?"

"Honestly...I don't really know. I, well, I'm sort of numb to it at this stage and really tempted to put an end to it while I can because I...I'm so damn scared that I can just about think straight." Crap! She was crying..._again!_ "Derek and I discussed adoption, b-but this is different...I can't explain it."

"No, but I can understand kiddo." William smiled gently, "you've had a lot thrown at you and I'm guessing if you're here, Derek didn't take it well?"

Spencer swallowed down a sob and shook her head, "Um, he was rather upset with me. I suppose, I really shouldn't be surprised by that." And then to her utter mortification the tears were rolling, the sobs had burst free of their barricade and a term of endearment she hadn't used in years slipped free, "D-Daddy."

Heart softening to mush, aching for his child's pain, wishing he could go a brutal round with Derek and his thick head, William dropped to the grass and pulled his daughter into his embrace. She fit easily in his lap, her small shape moulding to his bigger one and there in the blazing sun, with Pippin eyeing them both, Dr Spencer Reid fully dissolved and her agony was a palpable and raw feeling indeed.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Zombiefied, was that even a word? Derek Morgan wasn't exactly sure and normally he'd ask his baby genius, but lo and behold she wasn't around to ask now was she? But Zombiefied he was. He hadn't slept that night, and he had drank considerably, grabbing enough slumber to sober up which in turn left him looking like death's cousin. His mocha complexion was unusually pale, his dark eyes bloodshot beyond the point his sclera was more red then white and he had the granddaddy of migraines pounding behind his eyes which was a vicious reminder that straight of bourbon on an empty stomach was a bad idea for a reason.

"Hey hot stuff," chimed Garcia sauntering up behind him and reaching for a coffee mug. Crap, when did he get to the break room? "Whoa, Jesus Derek, you look like you were dragged through a ditch backward, I'm guessing things with Reid didn't go well?"

"Yeah," Derek croaked in the most articulate response he could muster, reaching for his usual coffee mug, "you could say that."

"Damn, hmm, well, she'll come around sweetie, you'll see."

Sure she would, if she was in the same God damn state as him anymore. Which Derek highly doubted. Pouring enough sugar into his coffee to cause a diabetic coma, the agent trudged after Garcia, vaguely aware of her babbling about a new case and that Spencer had been granted leave to get her head together. _Goody for her_, he thought spitefully. The rest of the team were already in the briefing room and tactfully they said nothing about the day before. As if it was any of their business to begin with! The coffee tasted like clay, the file blurred together and Derek barely heard JJ presenting the case. Despite his semi hostility, he didn't hate his wife, he was angry as all hell with her, but mostly he was hurt so deep down that it was a miracle he had dragged his sorry ass into work at all and did that mean he was going to tell the team? Sadly no, it would probably be the sensible thing, but if Derek knew anything it was this.

If Spencer didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be and didn't that just suck big time?


	4. 3: Forced Honesty And Broken Hearts

**_DISCLAIMER:_**_ I do not own Criminal Minds Or it's characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _**_Thank you all my lovely reviewers! Here we are with the next chapter! Hope you like :)_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Three:_

**Forced Honesty and Broken Hearts:**

Derek was sound asleep, the BAU jet rocking him gently and allowing him to just float away for a while. From where they sat the rest of the team watched him concerned, because in a handful of words, Derek Morgan looked like hell! It was quite obvious the man hadn't slept and every time Spencer was brought up in conversation, it was answered with a grunt, scowl and a slightly hurt expression, which in turn left the others highly miffed. They understood why Spencer had freaked and most likely she would come around, but Derek was determined to punish her for it first, or that is what they believed. Derek hadn't told them the truth. For now though, they had bigger things to worry about.

The BAU team were heading to New York. Five bodies in five days had popped up in different parts of Central park, posed like—creepily—Disney figurines and ranging in race, sex, build etcetera depending on the character they were suppose to portray. Three women, two men and no leads, the team were at a loss and truth being told, they could've really done with Spencer's assistance.

"The Unsub is probably a collector," JJ stated reaching for her coffee, "like that case with the dolls. Maybe he or she had Disney figurines and lost them?" It was stretch, but they had nothing else to go on.

"Could be an effort to immortalise their childhood," Rossi suggested, "create the most precious thing they've known of their youth and freeze it in time."

_"How diddly my super crime fighters,"_ All eyes—well most—found Garcia's bubbly face upon the strategically placed laptop.

"Anything kitten?" Rossi asked cutting to the chase. They really weren't in the mood for pleasantries, not with a killer on the loose with no cooling off period and down a team member and a half—the lethargic disgruntled Morgan being the half.

_"Sorry my liege, but there is ZIP connecting these people, I can't find anything. They don't use the same coffee shop, dry cleaner, hell; none of them even lived within a twenty mile radius of one another. They all went to different High schools, worked different jobs, victim one and victim five went to the same college but either side of campus. I doubt they ever crossed paths and there's nothing to tell me otherwise."_ Tap, tap, tap, _"there is one thing, however, and I'm not sure how helpful this'll be, but, you're characters were done in order."_

Hotch scowled, "Excuse me?"

_"In order boss man, Snow White, Cinderella, Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid and Aladdin were done in order. Movies one, twelve, fourteen, twenty-eight and thirty-one, also, they're all animated classics."_

"That might help," Emily said, "if we could figure out where they've been getting the costumes made. How many people walk in off the streets and ask for those specific costumes? How many other films are on that list Garcia?"

_"Uh, yeah, that leaves you like twenty-two possibilities and that's if our Unsub is sticking mainly to Walt Disney and not dipping into Pixar and Studio Ghibli."_ Garcia scowled her side of the screen. _"Just so you guys know this case has ruined Disney for me, some Unsub's have no shame." _Then for the first time Garcia's dark blue hues found the tensed lump that was Derek Morgan, his face anything but peaceful as he slept, _"How's my chocolate God doing?"_

"Not great," Emily answered honestly, "It's hard for him. He wants to be elated at the prospect of being a father, but Spencer may make or break that dream depending on how she decides to proceed."

_"Her cell's still off, I've been trying her all morning, with no luck whatsoever."_

"You won't get her."

Talk about caught red handed because the team including Garcia jumped right out of their skin. Expressions guilty they turned to face the exhausted agent, his dark eyes haunted, _"I can still keep trying hot stuff, I can go check on her—"_

Derek snorted bitterly, "good look with that, hard to talk to someone when they've left you." He hadn't attended to just blurt, but he felt as if his skin was being peeled away. Spencer was out there carrying their child—or, she mightened be depending on what her intentions were—and he had no way of contacting her which was obviously her intention, "Spencer's gone, s-she left me. I came home to find a note and some of her belongings gone, she left her cell and it looked as if she had been gone a while."

Hotch, JJ, Rossi, Emily and Garcia all held equally horrified expressions. JJ was the first to speak, "And you didn't think to tell us?" The blonde spluttered outraged, "Spence is pregnant and terrified, damn it Morgan, why didn't you call us?"

"So you could've done what exactly? Tracked her cell, hard considering it was in pieces in my hall, or how about tracking her bank activity? I tried that, Spencer made a withdrawal of enough to keep her going for a few weeks."

_"What about me?"_ Garcia snapped shrilly, _"damn it Derek, had I known LAST NIGHT she was missing, I could've—"_

"Spencer_ isn't_ missing!" Derek hissed, "You aren't missing if you leave by choice!"

"And what," Rossi barked expression thunderous his reaction rather surprising, "you think because she ran away by choice we just let her go? Spencer is pregnant with _your_ child; she's scared and has been dealing with all of this rather well considering!"

"That is if she's still pregnant. She's dead set on an abortion!"

_"And?!"_ Garcia barked, _"Okay, I was all on your side Derek, but after I thought about it, I can see where Reid is coming from. This is all mega scary for the girl wonder and you are not helping by being an ass! She mightened have bolted had you taken it better!"_

"Are you saying this is my fault?!"

_"No! God damn it, don't think so highly of yourself. A lot of things could've made our baby genius run for it and while you solve this case I'm gonna see where exactly she ran off too. Oh, and Rossi? Be a lamb and hit him, since you're the closest."_

"OW!"

_"_Merci_, Garcia out!"_

Silence and a lot of glares till Derek barked out—well more so snarled, "What?!"

"You're an asshat Derek Morgan," Emily said with a shake of her head, "just so you know."

With a murderous glower and grumbling in a peeved manner Derek snatched up his tablet and got to work in silence. The rest of the team continued to talk amongst themselves and Derek did his best to stay with the case, but truth be told, his head wasn't with the game at all. He was too busy pining for his pretty girl and the baby snuggled beneath her heart.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

_Three days later..._

Spencer tried so hard not to laugh; she honestly tried really, _really_ hard NOT to laugh! But the plume of dark smoke currently suffocating her father was just too much to ignore and so she not only laughed, but clutching the breakfast bar she positively howled!

"S-Spencer, i-it's n-n-n-ot funny!" William coughed violently rushing to open windows and the patio doors.

"And I thought _I _was a hopeless chef," the woman chortled.

Dumping what was supposed to be a roast into the sink, William shook his head at the charred remains, "well, take out it is then."

"You might want to order something for Pippin; the smoke detector sent him running for his life. You mightened see him till Christmas."

"Oh hardy har-har," William mocked with a roll of his eyes, "Where did you learn to be such a smart ass?"

"My husband," Spencer answered with a sad smile a second before her face turned sickly pale.

"Oh, I know that look!" William said just before his daughter bolted for the downstairs bathroom.

The door slammed open and Spencer just about made it before her stomach somersaulted and one hundred percent rebelled. Everything she had eaten came up in a violent stream. She was vaguely aware of someone holding her hair back, fingers rubbing soothingly along her spine—not that it helped the violent heaving much—choked sounds became whimpers and finally Spencer had nothing left to offer up to the toilet accept maybe for her stomach itself. Thankfully, it wasn't a required sacrifice.

"Okay kiddo, up you get," William crooned gently helping her to her feet, "easy now baby, I have you."

Skin clammy, her abdomen cramping painfully from the force of her vomiting, Spencer couldn't even bring herself to protest when William bent and scooped her up. Her legs were like jelly and the rest of her was shaking violently. William carried her out to the living-room and set her down onto his largely plush couch. Pip decided to emerge from hiding and curled up against her right thigh, purring just a little.

"I know I've always wanted to bond with you," Spencer croaked, "this, however, is not what I had in mind." Stomach roiling again Spencer writhed and groaned, "Dad, I'm dying, just put me out of my misery!"

William chortled and covered Spencer with a thick blanket, "you are _not _dying Spencer. You're mother was just as sick with you, it lessened to nausea after a couple of weeks, the disappeared by the twelfth week."

"Twelfth," Spencer squawked, "Dad, I'm just gone twelve weeks and the sickness only just started!"

William blinked, "you're three months along?"

"Yes."

"So, you literally got pregnant that first week?"

"It would seem so, Derek the virile bastard."

William groaned, "Spencer! Do NOT say things like that around me, I like to pretend you're still an innocent virgin."

"I'm pregnant."

"An innocent virgin who has been bestowed with Immaculate Conception," he finished with an almost disdainful sniff much to his daughter's amusement, then only to frown, "wait, I'm presuming you found this out at your doctor's appointment earlier?"

"Yes and yes before you ask, I'm above the mark for abortion." Spencer flopped back, "honestly, I doubt I would've gone through with it anyway."

"What makes you say that?"

"I suppose after all the lives we fight to save it just seemed so very wrong the more I thought about it. And I, um, think I'm getting attached," Tears welled up in Spencer's eyes, "I'm scared, the idea of being a parent, never mind pregnant terrifies me, but I...I suppose I could do it."

William sighed and sat down by his daughter, to his lessening surprise, Spencer immediately snuggled into him. "No one expects anything of you Spencer. You're still processing this and you've a while yet to decide. If you can't be a parent, there's always adoption, but I will say this." Spencer blinked when a hand cupped her cheek and lifted her head. Brown eyes met brown. "Don't make the same mistake I did Spencer. Don't walk away from one of the greatest things you will ever know in life. I'm not pressuring you into anything kiddo, but just know the miracle you hold. Okay?"

"Okay Dad," Sleepy Spencer nestled into William's warm body and stomach finally settling down, the genius slipped into sleep, hands pressing protectively against her abdomen.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Three days, three fucking days and they hadn't found sight or sound of the Unsub and to add to the shit storm, they had three brand new victims! Garcia hadn't been able to find Spencer either. Hadn't Derek said if his wife wanted to stay off the grid she would? But would anyone listen? _Noooooo!_ Not to mention after years of working with her, Spencer knew how to avoid Garcia if necessary, which was pissing off the tech analyst no end. Slamming into the conference room they had been given, Derek poured himself some coffee and cursed their latest 'witness' into oblivion. Who knew Disney could bring out such obsessed fans, to the point they were willing to fake seeing the Unsub? Honestly, what hole did these people crawl out of?!

"Same crap as before," An equally disgruntled Emily Prentiss asked.

"Yeah, this one I had the satisfactory of shoving in a cell myself for obstructing justice, asshat's, I swear to God!" Taking a gulp of coffee Derek winced, "Holy hell, that is muck!"

"If Reid was here, she'd have walked the two blocks to starbucks."

Derek smiled sadly, "very true." And if she'd been willing to have their baby, they would've argued over how much caffeine she was actually allowed.

Seeing the raw wound she had accidently opened, Emily sighed, "Derek, she'll come home, just give her time. You know Reid, she has to analyse every little detail before she does anything and maybe she's doing that right now, away from everything."

"At this stage Em, I just want her home."

"I know Morgan."

Needing to keep his mind on other things Derek turned his attention back to the evidence board. He had been staring at it day in day out without much luck, but he continued to hope. There had to be something! And what was more annoying? Spencer probably would've figured it all out three days ago! Smelling something, Derek's head whipped around and—"Praise Jesus! Rossi, man, you know I love you right?"

"Sure you do," Rossi snorted handing over the Styrofoam cup courtesy of Starbucks, "JJ and I were doing a round of the neighbourhood—again—can't be too thorough after all, and after the sludge we've been choking down, that Starbucks was looking pretty damn appealing."

"And you took pity on us lower beings huh?" Emily asked taking a huge bite out of her Danish.

"Sort of, I just figured I'm too old to get my ass kicked."

Laughter warm and bright filled the room and for a moment it took away from the ugliness of the whole hopeless situation. Half way through his coffee Morgan's cell phone buzzed. Fishing it from his pocket he grinned and answered it, "Talk to me mama."

_"You got it my Chocolate Adonis, so, I finally found your link between your victims. All of them attended a gihugic Disney convention held there in New York. Hundreds of people went to it, but there was an ELITE list for like veteran cosplayers."_

"Let me guess, all our victims were on this list?"

_"Got it in one hot stuff and get this? There's one dude who oversees them as the almighty leader and he has a gazillion priors. Jason Arthur AKA Jafar and I just beamed his address to your cells."_

"Thank you baby girl," Morgan crowed and then in a softer tone, "anything?"

_"Nothing Derek, Spencer knows how to hide from me I'm afraid, but she **will **come back. You just gotta give her time. You'll see."_

"I hope you're right baby girl, I truly do."

_"I'm the empress of the computer highway baby boy,"_ Garcia answered amused, _"I'm always right."_


	5. 4: Home Is Where The Heart Is

**_DISCLAIMER:_**_ I do not own Criminal Minds Or it's characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _**_Thank you soooo much for the reviews my doves and I apologise for the shortness of this chapter! I'm soooo sick with a second round of tonsilitis and flu :( Fooooorgive me! Next chapter will be longer!_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Four:_

**Home Is Where The Heart Is:**

_Twelve Weeks Later:_

A thunder of rain had gathered and begun to fall over Quantico, dampening the earth and weeping great tears from the heavens above and yet Spencer didn't care in the slightest. She wore a sincere smile upon her pretty face, lounging back in the passenger side of her father's SUV, hands curved beneath her baggy hoodie to cradle the secret lying there. At twenty-four weeks pregnant, Spencer could easily feel the movements of her child both inside and out, tiny feet and hands pushing against her splayed fingers in a sweet hello.

"You ready for this kiddo?" William asked reaching out and taking his daughter's hand with a warm smile.

Spencer laughed, "Not in the slightest. Other than sending Garcia the odd email to let her know I was fine, they don't know where I was. Supposedly Derek is not in the best form. God, I'm such a coward!"

"No you're not!" William scolded, "You got scared and you just needed time to adapt to your new situation."

"I've been gone twelve weeks!" Spencer reminded him, "it's took me this long to decide I want to keep the baby!" Spencer groaned inwardly, "Derek is going to hate me!"

"Don't be so dramatic," William chided laughing, "he won't hate you. I bet he'll pull you into the first room and—"

Spencer turned red, "DAD!"

"To hug you, God Spence, gutter brain much?"

It had the desired effect. After a moment of stunned blinking Spencer doubled over in a fit of raucous laughter and just like that the balloon of worry that had swelled up in her gut promptly deflated and she felt so light. She felt as if she could take on anything. Before long William pulled up outside the FBI headquarters and nervously Spencer looked up at the towering building and sucked in a shaky breath.

"You'll be okay baby," William soothed.

Nodding, Spencer gripped the hand it hers, "I know. Anyway, you have the key?"

William grinned, "Yes Spencer, I'll be waiting for you and don't worry, if it goes to hell, you can always come back to Las Vegas with me until the storm blows over."

"Thanks Dad."

Throwing her arms around him, Spencer gave him one last squeeze and scrambling from the SUV, she made her way inside. Several agents greeted her, some surprised to see her, others smiling in a warm fashion. Flashing her credentials, Spencer got through security and made her way up in the elevator to the right floor. The bullpen was quieter than usual. No mad dash here and there just bent heads and paperwork. Derek wasn't about. Most likely he was in his office and—

"S-Spencer," someone called timidly.

Twisting Spencer caught sight of David Rossi his jaw practically on the bullpen floor, Garcia at his side. Head bobbing, sucking in a breath, Garcia let out a shrill sound and before Spencer knew it she was engulfed by a bubbly tech analyst, incoherent teary words babbled in her ear. "Hey Garcia," Spencer greeted patting her back awkwardly. Spencer smiled the second Garcia stiffened and pulled back, dark blue hues dropping to her concealed middle in question. She had felt the baby kicking. Spencer smiled, "where's Derek?"

"In his office," Garcia sniffled, "oh my baby genius, you have no idea how much we've missed you!"

"You certainly gave some of us grey hair kiddo," Rossi chided, bending and kissing the top of Spencer's head, "welcome back Reid."

"Hey Garcia, baby girl, what's with the—" Derek stopped midstride his eyes practically bugging out and jaw slack, because there was in no way he was seeing what he thought he was, "S-Spencer?!"

Spencer gave him a timid smile, "hey Derek—Ahh!"

With a startled squeak Spencer had no choice but to follow when hand snatching out, Derek grabbed her thin wrist and began dragging her up toward the conference room. Garcia and Rossi made to follow, but Spencer waved them away and didn't argue when she was nudged into the room, door closed, sealing her in with a man who was caught between exasperated relief and blind fury.

"What the, where the, God damn it Spence!" Derek blustered unable to form a proper sentence, "Have you any idea the hell you've put me through? Where have you been baby girl? I've been half going out of my mind!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Spencer apologised feebly, "I did send word to Garcia."

"Yeah, but not about where you were! Nothing about how you were after the procedure," Derek swallowed painfully, "God Spencer, I would've gone with you; I wouldn't have let you go through that alone!"

Wait, procedure...? And then it dawned on her. Derek thought she had had an abortion. Heart heavy, Spencer really took in her husband's face and her very soul wept. He had lost weight, had not eaten properly or slept and the once proud man that Derek Morgan was now held himself, arms wrapped around his middle, thoroughly holding himself together. With a soft sigh, Spencer reached for Derek's hand. At first he flinched from the contact, but since he craved Spencer's touch, he eventually allowed it and then to his confusion Spencer slipped up her hoodie and blouse and pressed his hand to a very swollen belly. Derek had barely time to register it when a welcoming nudge lit against his palm and the agent let out a strangled gasp.

"I'm sorry Derek," Spencer told him softly, "I was so scared. I just needed time to—"

"How far are you?" Derek croaked, rubbing the swelled mound thoroughly awed.

"Eh, twenty-four weeks, I conceived the child literally that first week."

Another kick and Derek's eyes filmed over, but he needed to keep his head, "you would've been too late to terminate."

"True, but adoption was also an option and then I grew to love the baby Derek." Spencer smiled, "I grew to love _our_ baby, our son."

Head snapping up Derek could scarcely breathe, "S-Son? We're—you're having a boy?"

"Yes and he's perfectly—" Spencer's words were abruptly cut off by a searing kiss. Hands fisting in her chestnut curls, Derek pressed himself flush against her and kissed her as if his life depended on it. Chuckling, Spencer squirmed free, pressing a final tender kiss against Derek's tear stained cheek. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, God Spencer, where the hell were you?"

"In the last place I expected to end up. I've been staying at my Dad's, in fact; he's heading to ours right now."

Derek blinked, "well, I suppose this day couldn't get any stranger."

"Derek," Spencer crooned wrapping her arms about her husband's neck an amused twinkle in her ochre eyes, "I'm craving strawberry milkshake with pickles."

Derek cringed and Spencer laughed, "I stand corrected."

Door bursting open Garcia, JJ, Emily, Rossi and Hotch all swarmed in and just like that Spencer was engulfed in hug after hug—Garcia had blabbed.

"Oh, oh I feel the baby kicking," JJ gushed grinning down at her best friend, "freaking you out yet?"

"It did," Spencer answered with a grin, "but I got used to it and—Ooo!"

"Baby," Derek yelped darting to her side, "Are you in pain, do I need to call a doctor?!"

"Calm down Derek! He was just rolling over, and the stretching is not something I'll ever get used to."

Three...Two...One, "_HE_," Garcia, Emily and JJ squeaked in unison.

Derek pulled Spencer against his side grinning like a loon, "we're having a boy!"

Annnnnnnd just like that, let the anarchy commence!


	6. 5: Strawberry Milkshakes And A Pickle

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Criminal Minds or its Characters!_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_Okay, this chapter is not my best and please don't be sore with me my lovely readers (Thank you so much to my flowers, all of you who read and reviewed THANK YOU) But I'm soooooooooooooo sick! I've strep throat, which is just a step away from having friggin' Glandular fever (Mono), (Same virus technically) so major infection and I shan't be right for possibly ten to fourteen days. So again SORRRRRRY! I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway. It's mostly fluff._

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Five:_

**Strawberry Milkshakes and a Pickle:**

William Reid was in his kitchen cooking spaghetti Bolognese with Frank Sinatra in the CD player and to add to the strangeness, Spencer had barely wiggled up onto a stool by the breakfast bar when a strawberry milkshake and a pickle was placed at hand, "thanks Dad," the pregnant woman beamed before proceeding to dip the green snack into her pink beverage.

Naturally, Derek squirmed, "that has got to be worse than JJ's Nutella/cheddar sandwich combos."

William chuckled, "that craving was last week."

"Oh God, no, Spencer, seriously baby girl, you're poor stomach!"

"You're son loves it Derek Morgan, so why are you complaining?" Spencer retorted, hazel eyes sparkling with amusement.

Son, Derek would never tire of hearing that word and slipping his arms about his wife's waist, he rested his hands on her swollen belly. Every now and again he felt a kick and smiling, he nuzzled her creamy throat with affection. "We're going to be parents in sixteen weeks!"

Groaning Spencer rested her head back and kissed his cheek, "sixteen weeks more of having my organs kicked to hell, don't remind me!"

"You'll be fine baby," Morgan crooned, "I'll be here every step of the way."

"You'll regret that when it's one am and she wants Doritos," William teased.

"That was one time Dad!"

"One time and three hours trying to find somewhere open!"

Laughing, Spencer slipped off the stool and began setting the table. Once or twice Derek tried to help, but Spencer waved him off. She was pregnant after all, not dying. She interacted with her father in a way she had never done before and for a moment Derek found himself becoming jealous. This man had gotten twelve weeks of a pregnancy he should've been a part and as childish and unfair as it may seem, he couldn't help but hate William Reid if only a little.

Dinner was a fairly a boring affair. They talked, they ate and then William made excuses involving a walk that Spencer knew translated to _'I'm giving you alone time'._ With an awkward silence falling over them, the genius got to her feet and pottered toward the sink. The clock ticked on her left side, Clooney snuffled in his sleep, the Rottweiler's legs twitching now and again and Spencer was suddenly very aware of Derek's presence. Without William to cushion the tension between them, and no team to back either one up, Spencer could no longer ignore the elephant in the room.

"Derek..."

"Don't Spence," Derek warned with a shake of his head, "I'm happy to have you home. I'm so happy, because the last twelve weeks, it was as if I couldn't breathe and now here you are and for the last few hours I've gotten to hold you and feel our child move, a child I was so afraid I'd never get the chance to meet, but now, when I've really thought about it, I can't help but be so angry at you!"

Spencer cringed, "I guess I deserve that."

"God damn it baby girl," Derek barked twelve weeks of hurt and rage crawling up his throat, "I feared the worst! After twelve weeks I started to think you'd never come back. I had Strauss asking had our relationship finally disrupted are working ethic, as if my marriage possibly falling apart wasn't the real issue!" Derek swallowed heavily. "You could've been dead, abducted, anything! Even with the odd email you sent Penelope, I needed to see you, feel you, how could you do this?!"

Swallowing, Spencer fought viciously against the tears that threatened to fall. The switch of emotions was to be expected. Spencer had been waiting for it. She just didn't realise how much it would hurt once they came. "I'm sorry," the woman whispered pathetically, "I don't know what else I can say Derek. I just, it was too much. Being half magically turned into a woman, only to fall pregnant and I was terrified and I ran. Call it cowardice or whatever you want, but I ran and yes for the first time in years I found safety in my father's arms because...Well, because he expected nothing of me."

Derek scowled, "like keeping the baby?"

Sniffling Spencer nodded, "yes Derek. You can't understand how I feel; I can't even put it in words for you. I didn't do it to hurt anyone, I just...it felt as if I was drowning and I just needed to escape, long enough until I figured it all out for myself."

"Easy to keep a child when you don't have a choice," Derek spat suddenly, his rage firmly holding him, disengaging the filter between his brain and mouth.

"That's not fair Derek!" Spencer snapped, "You can't simply be accepting and then turn around angry. You're either one or the other!"

"You went to the Doctor to ask about it!"

"No I didn't! I went to find out how far along I was. In honesty I had decided to keep him the moment I had spoken to my mother!" Spencer wrapped her arms about her swollen middle. "I know I hurt you. I handled it badly, but I'm your wife and I love you Derek. I will always love you and now I have another little piece of you to love." A fond smile tilted her lips, hand resting against the bulge of our middle. "I was stupid Derek, and I guess I can keep saying sorry if I have to, because I _am_ sorry and if I could take back the hurt, I would in a heartbeat."

A breath left the man and just like that the tension dissipated. Reaching out he gathered Spencer close and with a hiccupping sob, Spencer broke down. He still ached, but having her back thoroughly outweighed the hurt and though the pain no doubt would still rise up now and again, Derek was willing to forgive and let go.

It was time to just be happy.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Spencer blinked stupidly and was quite sure she had misheard, "I'm sorry, what?"

Garcia rolled her eyes, "You, I, JJ and Emily are all going shopping."

"Are you insane? Even if I had been born a female that would _not_ be something I'd wish to do!"

It was Saturday morning, two days after her return and sat in her pyjamas, Clooney at her feet, Spencer had been ambushed and as it would seem, was going shopping, whether she liked it or not. Derek and William watched with amusement from the other side of the living-room and Spencer really considered tossing a throw pillow at each.

"Don't argue with me one-eight-seven, you've been wearing you're old clothes."

Spencer blinked incredulous, "And?"

Garcia's jaw dropped. Really, did she even have to ask? By Spencer's bemused expression, yes, yes she did, "You're a girl!"

"Maybe on the outside," Spencer answered with a sniff.

"It mightened hurt Spence," William said smiling over the lip of his mug.

"Traitor," Spencer hissed, scrambling upright, "I'm not going shopping!"

"Oh my sweet Vanilla bunny," Garcia clucked, "I never said you had a choice, now go get dressed and meet us down here in ten."

"But—"

"No buts baby genius!"

"Derek—"

"Nuh uh baby," Derek laughed, "you are not dragging me into this! I pick my battles where Garcia's concerned."

With a glare, the pregnant woman stepped over the slumbering Rottweiler and headed upstairs to get dressed just as the bubbly tech analyst had demanded. To be honest she was sort of looking forward to it. Spencer had missed them all and spending time with them would be fun. She didn't realise later how much she'd come to regret it.

"Garcia!" The woman yelped for possibly the third time that day when the bubbly blonde casually snatched the curtain back.

"What?" She asked nonplussed and laying out even more clothing for Spencer to try out, not so much as flinching at the fact the pregnant woman was in nothing but her underwear, "oh for heaven sake Reid! You have _nothing_ I haven't seen before!"

"I hate you," Spencer grumbled dragging on the latest bit of clothing, "just so you know."

"I know," Garcia responded cheerfully turning and bounding back out of the dressing room.

With a roll of her hazel orbs, Spencer wriggled into the comfy slacks and even she had to admit, looking in the mirror, she looked quite nice. Her frame wasn't swamped like it was with the men's t-shirts and such she insisted on wearing. No, she could actually see the shape of herself now, her swollen middle slightly more pronounced and though it wasn't something she was used to, Spencer liked it. Hormones were frying her brain and she might as well embrace it. With a resigned sigh she stepped out into the lime-light and got ready to be fussed over—again!

"Oh! One-Eight-Seven, have you any idea how scrummy you look?"

"Scrummy? Is that even a word?"

"It is in the Dictionary of Penelope Garcia," Emily teased fixing the blouse a little and ignoring Spencer's irritated squawk, "You look good Reid. Certainly better then the over-sized t-shirts you kept wearing!"

"I didn't feel the need to purchase new clothing," Spencer argued with a pout.

"It's for the best Spence," JJ told her gently, "we've no idea how long you'll be like this. You might as well be comfy while you are."

Naturally no one pointed out the chances of it being permanent. And though Spencer would love to be her old self again, being female for the rest of her life was a step up from being dead. If it was indeed a permanent situation, she'd deal with it. Six more outfits later and she was finally given a reprieve. Being pregnant earned sympathy rather easily, and the second she mentioned feeling shaky on her feet, Garcia put a halt to the whole thing and they ended up at the food court eating lunch, and squeamishly watching Spencer eat a cheese, jelly and pineapple sandwich that the brunette claimed was nothing short of heavenly.

"So," Garcia began dark blue hues flickering from Spencer's face to Emily and JJ's, "how much trouble were you in when you got home the other night?"

Spencer winced. Garcia wasn't even a profiler and yet some days she might as well have been, "He was quite upset with me. I deserve it though. I shouldn't have—"

"Spence," JJ cut in grabbing the girl's hand, "I feel for Derek, I really do, but he can't judge. When I was pregnant with Henry, I had never been so terrified in my whole life and I'm a woman! Pregnancy is no small thing, you're creating a life and you are responsible for whether that kid becomes a screw-up or the next American president. You wouldn't be the first woman who freaked and ran, but you had the courage to come back."

Crap, crap, crap! Nope, she was crying, and in honesty she didn't give a damn. It was hormones, or simply the beauty of JJ's speech, either way didn't matter at all, Spencer was just glad for friends who understood, "t-thank you Jayje, thank you so much. I, I never wanted to hurt him, I was just scared."

"We know baby genius," Penelope crooned gently fishing a neon handkerchief from her purse and handing it to the emotional woman, "but Derek's a man, they're idiots at the best of times—no offence to your previous sex—this is just something he'd never get."

Spencer laughed, only Penelope could soothe and insult her in the same sentence and even then she was thankful. She was thankful for all of them and the day they had given her and just like that, one more crack on the surface of her heart was healed.


	7. 6: My Precious

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _**_Yeah, still sick, so hence why this chapter could be better, longer, meh! I revamped it, but this is the best I could come up with. What a pain right? Anyway thank you my lovely flowers who read and reviewed, I love you guys! And I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Six:_

**My Precious:**

_Sixteen Weeks Later..._

Nine months, three days, five hours, nineteen minutes, five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds...Spencer Reid was still counting and yet, there was no sign of her baby boy coming out! She was three days overdue and hating it. No, she didn't hate _IT_, she hated _HIM!_ And he in question was currently humming an Elvis Presley tune while munching on a sandwich. Feeling the eyes burning into the side of his head like laser beams, Derek turned and smiled tenderly at his fuming wife.

"Still sore at me baby girl?"

"My current situation is mostly your fault, so yes!" Squirming Spencer wriggled up off the couch and winced when the change did awful things to her lower back. "Oh my God, I can't take much more of this!"

"Aw baby," Derek crooned standing up and wrapping his arms about his partner's round waist, "only a few more days Spence and if needs be, they'll induce you."

"I'd much rather have the labour start and have our son in my arms in the next few hours, then wait till the ten day mark to be induced like a God damn foaling mare!" Spencer groaned, "Not to mention induction can prologue the labour by several hours! I'd much prefer to go naturally."

"I know baby, but not everything goes the way we planned."

"Damn straight," rubbing her swollen middle with a disgruntled look, Spencer wriggled out of her husband's grip, "I need to go to the toilet."

Derek chuckled, "Again?"

"Yeah, don't make me hurt you Agent Morgan; I can be quite vicious when I want to be!" The woman slapped away her husband's roaming hands and headed for the downstairs bathroom waddling all the way.

It was truly a beautiful sight, his baby full to the brim with their baby and in another handful of days; their son would be a very real, breathing, living little person. Cell phone jarring him from his fluffy thoughts, Derek fished the device from his pocket and answered with a cheerful, "Morgan?"

_"Hey Morgan,"_ JJ greeted from her end, _"Sorry about this big guy, but I have to call you in."_

"WHAT! JJ, Spencer is on the verge of going into labour! I can't go on a case and leave her here!" Derek was beside himself with fury, "Let me guess though, this comes from Strauss?"

_"You know it. Listen, I'm sorry Morgan, but it's a bad one and we could really use you. Kevin's on tech, so Garcia can stay with Spence. Sound good?"_

"She's going to hang me by my genitals I hope you know!"

_"I'll make it up to you, promise!"_

"Yeah, you and the rest of the team, alright, I'm heading in now." Slamming the phone shut, Derek let out several irritated curses and stalked toward the stairs and up to the bedroom. Spencer was not going to be pleased. Filling his Go-Bag, he had just stopped at the end of the stairs when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Spencer called and a second later, "Oh, hey Garcia."

"Hey baby genius! Hey bump, my aren't you getting big!"

"Don't remind me. I think my organs must be rather flat by now." Stepping aside Spencer smiled and let Garcia in just as Derek walked into the hall with his Go-Bag, "Derek?"

The Agent sighed, "Sorry baby girl, JJ called."

"Sorry? Derek! I'm due any day now, you can't be serious?!"

"Penelope is gonna be here and hopefully we can wrap it up pretty quick. You know I wouldn't go if I had that choice Spencer, I'd much rather be here."

Hands on her hips the brunette's eyes were hostile pits of molten gold, "you better hope you're home for the birth Derek Morgan, or so help me! The couch will be glad to have you!"

With an exasperated sigh Derek kissed his wife's pouting mouth and her heavy belly whispering sweet goodbyes. Garcia waved goodbye, her tone bubbly as ever and with a disgruntled huff, Spencer made her way back into the living-room. Garcia had come prepared. Treating it like a girly sleepover, the blonde had brought all the necessities—God help her—and an array of movies that even Spencer had to admit were worth the watch, after all, they all had Brad Pitt or George Clooney in them, and one even had Hugh Jackman. She argued bitched, moaned and still Garcia managed to talk Spencer into sitting still for a beauty treatment. Garcia did her hair, nails and insisted on covering her in some green gloop that was supposedly great for the skin. After they ordered take-out and by eight pm were curled up in their pyjamas watching Hugh Jackman in all his fine muscled glory. Despite her earlier annoyance, it had been a good day.

Sleepily dosing, Spencer snuggled deeper into the soft cushions only to jolt awake with a slight frown. Garcia was pottering about the kitchen, but it wasn't that, that woke her. Nuh uh, that would be the sudden wet rapidly staining her pyjama pants and the clenching pain in her abdomen, "GARCIA!"

A cup shattered and a yelp followed. Hand on her chest, Garcia stalked into the living-room expression livid, "damn it Spencer, you better have a damn good reason for scaring me!"

"My waters broke!"

"Oh holy shit, yup, good reason!"

"You think?!"

Struggling to her feet, Spencer whimpered and gripped the back of the sofa as an anchor. The contractions were coming hard and fast and heaven help her, she wanted to knock the block off the midwife who had said it would take hours. HA! Why could she never do things by halves? No, she needed the drama supposedly. Hearing a thump, the labouring youth looked up in time to see that Garcia had retrieved her suitcase.

"Garcia...Call an ambulance."

"What? Why, we can just go in my car!"

Spencer groaned and shook his head, "he's not going to wait for that Garcia and I'll be damned if I'll give birth in a car!"

One call and an ambulance were on the way and three calls proved that Derek Morgan was somewhere without cell service and because of that, he was on Spencer Reid's hit list. Hearing a second thump followed by a yelp Spencer froze and looked up and her heart froze in her chest. A woman stood in the doorway grinning gleefully and it only took Spencer a second to realise who she was.

"Dr Simpson?" It was indeed Nora Simpson, the woman who had treated her all those months ago, the one who had helped her leave the hospital after without any madness about her new form and right now she was stood in her living-room, expression manic and Garcia unconscious at her feet, "what are you doing?!" Spencer yelled incredulous.

"I only just heard the good news Spencer!" Nora gushed enthusiastically, ignoring Spencer's startled shock, eyes bright and acting as if breaking into someone's home was perfectly normal. A frown knitted her brow, "oh, you don't look so good. Are you okay sweetie?"

Wait, that voice, why did it suddenly seem so familiar? Flashes filled Spencer's befuddled mind. A cold floor, searing pain in her blood and a psychotic mantra filling her ears—oh God, oh God _no!_ That voice! How had she never noticed before? She was the woman who had turned her life upside down! "You," Spencer hissed, "y-you injected me with that serum, you killed all those men, you—Ahhh!"

Doubling over, Spencer's legs buckled and she ended up on her ass. Oh God, oh shit, she needed to push!

"You're in labour!" Dropping down beside her Dr Simpson hastily pushed up her night shirt and sure enough she was crowning, "Spencer, push on your next contraction."

"Get away from me!"

"No, I only want to help Spencer! I gave you a gift, appreciate it!"

"A gift, you changed my sex against my will!"

"And because of that, you're having a baby!"

When the doctor's fingers bit into her thighs Spencer yelped and squirmed. Clearly that was a warning and considering her current predicament, angering the woman now would be a bad idea. Spencer just hoped Garcia would wake in time to help her. The next contraction was almost doubly intense. The pain was excruciating and whimpering Spencer kicked her legs. With each push she could feel her son moving further and further and Simpson encouraged her all the way.

"That's it Spencer one more push, that's it!"

Tears streamed from her hazel eyes and God damn it, where was that ambulance?! Muscles clenching Spencer cried out and finally the baby slipped from her body, screaming his arrival to the world, a few moments later the afterbirth followed. Woozy headed, heart hammering in her chest, Spencer twisted and a laugh bubbled free at the first look at her baby boy. He was perfect, and looked just like Derek, but with a lighter skin tone.

"Hey baby," she crooned reaching out letting out a distressed whimper when Nora snatched him out of reach, "Dr Simpson, give me my baby, please!"

"You've birthed a male," Nora groaned pitifully, "I'm so sorry Spencer. Men cannot exist in my utopia." Moving away from the exhausted woman, Nora laid the child out on the carpet, the boy still attached to his afterbirth and rummaged in her bag. Spencer weakly tried to get up off the floor, but her legs were not getting with the programme and then Nora pulled the blade free from her bag, holding it above the squalling child, and brought it down in one great swoop.

"NO!"


	8. 7: Blood Red Tears

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_**_Thank you for the reviews everyone and I know, I'm evil for the helluva cliffhanger I left you at, this chapter is mostly fluff so I hope it makes up for my previous MUHAHAHAHA Moment! Lol ENJOY!_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxx_

* * *

_Chapter Seven:_

**Blood Red Tears:**

Spencer shrieked in blind agony when the small blade bit into her shoulder, but the pain was worth it. Nora howled in fury, while her son wailed beneath her warm weight. Ripping her knife free, the enraged woman tossed it aside and fisting her hand in Spencer's hair, she ripped the girl upright. With a yelp, Spencer clawed at the hand knotted in her bronze curls, blood gushing from her shoulder. She twisted, her body weak and aching from the childbirth, but by God damn, she would not let this bitch have the upper hand! With a furious scream, Spencer slammed her elbow back into Nora's sternum sending them both careening to the floor. Nora yelped when her arm caught the corner of the fireplace tearing a gaping hole right into the fleshy part of her arm.

Her fingers went slack in Spencer's hair and scrambling off the mad woman, the brunette scooped up her wailing son backing away on shaking legs. Clooney was outside barking his head off, large paws beating against the translucent glass as the Rottweiler tried desperately to get inside.

"You bitch," Nora howled dragging herself to her feet, movements jerky as she attempted to catch her breath, "I'm going to tear you apart!"

A way out, she needed a way out and eyes widening, Spencer tore out of the living-room and raced up the stairs toward the bedroom. It hurt, stomach heavy, nether regions throbbing and though her shoulder pulsed, she could tell the blood flow had lessened. Clearly someone up above had taken pity on her. In the bedroom, Spencer dashed toward the large walk-in closet and tearing down shirts and jumpers, the brunette settled the infant on the makeshift bed and kissed his forehead tenderly.

"Mama's going to be right back," she promised teary-eyed and giving him what quite possibly was the last hug she'd ever give him, Spencer stumbled out of the closet and closed the doors just as the first stomping steps could be heard on the landing.

"Spencer, come out you whore! Do you think an Amazon would've hidden like this? No! She'd have fought to the very last breath!"

God only knows how she made it, between blood loss and pain, but through sheer determination, Spencer shuffled toward her dresser by the ensuite door and was never so happy in her life to see her gun in the top drawer and already fully loaded. She had just twisted around, weapon raised and eyes wild when Nora burst into the room doing a double take at the sight of a Smith and Wesson pointed directly within range of her head.

A sneer crossed her lips, "are you going to shoot me Spencer?"

"Make wrong move and I will blow your fucking brains out!" Spencer hissed darkly. Her eyes were dilated from pain, one hand on the dresser to keep her upright but heaven be damned her gun hand was perfectly steady, "you kidnapped me and screwed with my DNA, you left me stuck like this and now you attempt to kill my son!"

"You shoot me, and you're stuck that way," Nora snarl, "No me, no cure."

"Yeah, well, I can live with that," and pressing on the trigger Spencer fired and her aim was true.

The bullet sliced into flesh, burrowing through bone right between Nora Simpson's eyes. Expression horrified, the ashen colour of death already creeping into her cheeks, the Doctor fell hitting the ground with a sickening thump. With a strangled sound Spencer tossed the gun onto the bed and feeling like death she made her way back toward the closet, to her screeching son. The little boy was positively hysterical, but the second Spencer lifted him, he burrowed in knowing her scent, seeking her warmth. Resting against the wall she slid to the floor, legs splayed and hissed when her shoulder ached, Spencer ran her thumb over her son's chubby cheek, sniffling when the tears wiggled free and then the most beautiful sound filled her ears.

"Reid, baby genius," Garcia called shrilly.

"Up here Penny!"

From downstairs Garcia's eyes snapped away from the blood, head still spinning a little and rushing to the staircase on wobbly legs, the tech analyst hurried upstairs cursing the still absent paramedics to hell and back. The body on Spencer's bedroom floor was a shock, both the, who and how very dead she was. Hearing sounds from the closet on her left, Garcia waved it off. Spencer could explain later and pushing open the pine wood doors Penelope's jaw dropped, "Oh shit, Spence!" Dropping down next to the trembling woman, Penelope looked down, "Oh, oh, sweetie, look at him! Oh, he looks just like Derek!"

"Are you okay?" The youth asked gesturing toward her bloody and bruised forehead.

"You're covered in blood and seriously asking me that?" Garcia frowned. "What happened to your shoulder?"

"Um, stab wound," Spencer told her groggily, "S-She, eh, went to kill him, I—I took the...hit..."

The bitch did _what?!_ Garcia was positively seething, but watching Spencer's head droop lead to a whole other panic. She really did not need her passing out, "Hey, hey Spence, you need to stay awake for me, mama bear, okay, for me and the sprog, please?"

"T-Tired," Spencer whimpered.

"I know vanilla bunny, I know, but the paramedics are gonna be here any minute and you need to be conscious." Tapping the pale woman's cheek, Garcia jumped when the doorbell rang through the house and by God it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard in her life, "okay, okay that's them, okay Spencer? Now just, um, count Derek's shirts or something and I'll be right back."

Garcia's soft reassuring hand left her cheek and blinking; her vision fading fast, Spencer tilted her head back and tried desperately to stay awake. But between blood losses, the fading adrenaline and the stress of giving birth all but under knife point, Spencer couldn't hold onto the conscious world anymore and with the soft sleeping sounds of her baby as her lullaby, she gave into the darkness.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Derek had never been more scared in his entire life. The case had been a mess really, the Detectives hadn't a clue what they were doing and an hour in, he was fit to kill someone. His wife was heavily pregnant and he wasn't by her side which only cut deeper when the worst phone call of his life came in. Spencer had been brought into hospital and because of hospital policy; no one would give him the damn details over the phone! Screeching to a stop just outside the hospital, his park job without a doubt his worst, Derek was out of the SUV and all but colliding with some poor Orderly. The team were right behind him and after a hasty stop at reception, Derek was high-tailing it to the fourth floor. Attention firmly locked on seeing his wife, he never saw Garcia until she called his name.

"Derek?"

Spinning around, Derek opened his mouth and completely froze. Penelope was pale, a nasty bruise on her temple, butterfly stitches holding a cut together on her left brow. She was shook up, her make-up gone and—Holy hell; there was a baby in her arms!

Derek swallowed, "Baby girl?"

A smile, "would you like to meet your son?"

Breathing heavily, Hotch, Rossi, Emily and JJ skidded to a stop and watched in awe when Garcia settled a squirming infant into Derek's outstretched arms. The baby wriggled, tiny legs kicking in the blanket he was wrapped in and with a sweet baby yawn he settled right back down, relaxed and at peace in his father's arms. He could've stayed locked on his baby boy's features for the next ten years, but clearly, something happened other than his wife going into labour. "Mama, what happened?"

"Baby genius' water broke and we had to call an ambulance. She was labouring and I went to get her things and the next I know everything went night-night, when I came too, there was blood all over the living-room." Garcia swallowed eyes haunted. "I called out and oh God, you've no idea how happy I was when she answered...it was Dr Simpson Derek, she was the one who killed those men and changed Spence, s-she tried to kill that sweet little boy after Spencer gave birth, but Spencer took the hit to the shoulder. When the paramedics came, she had already passed out."

Derek had considerably paled, "Where's Spence now?"

"Surgery, nothing major, they just needed to repair the damage done to her shoulder."

Derek nodded, "And Simpson?"

"Dead, Spencer had no choice but to take her down."

With a shaky breath, Derek settled his ass down on a plastic chair before his legs folded completely beneath him. She was okay, his pretty girl was okay and holy God she would be his pretty girl from now on. With Nora dead, there was no changing her back. But obviously, Spencer took the shot knowing as such. He loved her even more, her heart, her soul, every wonderful inch of her and smiling down at his little boy, with his family all around, he waited for the news that his baby girl was alright.

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

Spencer came too slowly and to aches and pains pretty much all over. Forcing her lids open, the brunette winced against the harsh lighting trying to burn holes into her retinas and let out a groan of discomfort. Lifting a hand she scrubbed away the sleep from her eyes and cursing like a sailor Spencer pulled herself into a sitting position just as the door opened and Derek walked in carry a cooing bundle.

"Spencer!"

"Derek," Spencer croaked absolutely exhausted and though she was so happy to see him, there was someone she wanted to see even more, "Oh God, can I have him, please?"

Derek was across the room in two strides and settling his son happily into his wife's arms. Half laughing, half sobbing, Spencer cuddled the boy close kissing his cheeks, kissing his forehead as she rocked him, crooning over his tiny form, "Baby?" Sniffling Spencer lifted her head, hazel eyes watery. "Oh God, Spencer, I am so sorry."

Spencer frowned in confusion, "for what?"

"I should've been home, I should've told Strauss to go to hell, then you wouldn't have given birth in hell and you wouldn't have been stabbed!"

"No, no Derek, it wasn't your fault! How were you supposed to know?"

Derek swallowed, but damn, he was fit to cry himself. He wanted to cry for almost losing his wife, just out of pure stress and with joy over the tiny life they both created, "That's not the point baby girl."

Shaking her head, Spencer fisted a hand in the agent's shirt and pulled him down for a sweet loving kiss, "you're an idiot Derek Morgan if you honestly think you can take the blame. I'm fine, sure I would've preferred giving birth in a hospital and numbed, but hey, our living-room floor wasn't too bad."

Derek chuckled shaking his head, "Have I told you how wonderful you are lately?"

Spencer grinned, eyes sparkling impishly, "Mmm, not today, no."

Bending Derek kissed her, "then, you are wonderful and I love you, so much."

"I love you too Derek." Snuggling back against the pillows piled up behind her Spencer smiled down at her son when the baby made a sound, "we better name him."

"Are we still going with the name we picked?"

"Yeah, I think it suits him." Spencer smiled. "Welcome to the world Jayden."

When the doors burst open, Spencer's head jerked up and she couldn't help but laugh. The BAU team had arrived and by the looks of it, they had bought out most of the gift shop from downstairs. Arms full of plushies, an elated Garcia dropped them down on the bed and immediately whipped out a camera taking numerous pictures.

"Oh the vanilla mocha prince is gorgeous!" Penelope gushed, "Did you name him yet?"

Derek was every inch the proud father, curling his arm carefully about Spencer, "We've named him Jayden."

Garcia wiggled on the spot, mindful of her mild concussion, "Aww that is such a sweet name!" Dark blue hues sparkling with amusement, Garcia patted Spencer's foot and took a seat, "so, part of the girl club for the long run now are you?"

"It would seem so."

"You gonna change your name?" Rossi asked with an equally as amused expression, "Suppose you could be eccentric and stay Spencer. We could call you Penny for short."

"You wouldn't dare!" The very idea had the lithe woman cringing in horror. "Spencer is fine. It's not a common female name, but it has been used as a female name."

"Easy baby," Derek chortled bending and kissing her cheek softly, "there only teasing."

When Spencer yawned and then yawned again, her husband shooed them from the room. There were protests from the girls, but he ignored them, laughing and jostling them from the room. By the time he returned to the room, Spencer was well on her way to being asleep and lifting Jayden from her arms, he bent his head kissing her cheek sweetly and settled in beside her, the warm weight of their son snug upon his chest.


	9. 8: Home Sweet Home And Nanny Fran

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_**_This took longer then I thought and didn't come out the best. I'm dealing with crap from my ex husband. Lets just say he's on the verge of getting his ass kicked for being a neglective parent. Send my kid home after his weekend with daddy destroyed with a rash and make all sorts of excuses NOT to bring him to the doctor then you have a bloody death wish. My poor munchkin has a bacterial skin infection and was in blinding agony, so mama bear is on the rampage and ex hubby is gonna find out what happens when you mess with me. :( Sooo yeah this chapter may be crap and I apologise for that!_

_Hope you enjoy some of it! The next chapter will be hitting a bizarre twist. So be prepared for some angsty weirdness ;)_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxx_

* * *

_Chapter Eight:_

**Home Sweet Home and Nanny Fran:**

Spencer gritted her teeth and stood, or did something close to standing. Pain seared through her body and with a whimper she accepted the hand offered by a patient Derek. Out of sheer stubbornness the brunette had wanted to make the trip to the bathroom by herself, but two days after giving birth, with stitches in certain tender regions to boot, she really needed to know when to hold up that white flag and admit defeat. Hissing when a particularly nasty twinge passed through her, Spencer swallowed and linking her arm through Derek's she silently gave him permission to help. With a smile, Derek bent and kissed the top of her sleep ruffled head.

"That bad huh pretty girl?"

"I hope you appreciate what I do for you Derek," Spencer griped making her husband chuckle.

"I do baby doll and I'm sorry that you're hurting."

Yeah, hurting so bad that when Morgan kicked the bathroom door closed and helped her onto the toilet, pulling up her night-shirt, Spencer didn't even argue. A strangled cry escaped her when urine met raw stitches, her face twisting in agony, muscles tensing as she relieved her bladder. It was the worst few seconds of her life and when it was over, Spencer accepted her husband's help without any argument or growled exclamations. Eyes drifting toward the shower, she pulled Morgan down for a kiss.

"Go sit with Jayden," Spencer suggested gently, "I need to take a shower. It'll help with these wretched stitches."

"Need any help?"

"If I do, I'll buzz for a nurse. They'll have a heart attack if they know you were in here with me and I was fully naked."

Derek frowned, "you just gave birth."

"And," Spencer laughed incredulous, "have you met the hard ass that runs this ward? If she finds out you even helped me to the toilet, you _will_ be kicked out. Husband and father be damned."

Laughing Derek held his hands up in defeat, "alright pretty girl, I'm going. Jayden and I can have some quality guy time."

"You do that."

Still laughing, Derek retrieved some clean clothing for his lover and slipped from the bathroom and closed the door gently behind him. They had a private room of bland pink walls, and a bed that Spencer claimed was just a step down from sleeping on cement. In a hospital cot directly by the bed, Jayden was just coming around, one tiny hand clinging to a blanket made by Garcia personally and a tiny booted foot kicking free. They baby made a sound of discomfort, baby blues blinking open, and head moving from side to side as he sought out mama. When he clearly couldn't find her, whimpers became sharp irritated whines and finally full blown cries. A fact Derek had learnt quite swiftly. Babies were all about their mama in the first few weeks and if Jayden wanted Spencer, nothing Derek did, was going to help. However, he was betting on the fact his son just wanted some comfort and reaching into the plastic cot, he scooped up the tiny infant and settled him directly over his heart. Spencer had informed him ten or thirty times that this tended to relax them.

Snuffling, whimpering, Jayden whined and writhed against him and Derek chuckled heartily, "you looking for something daddy doesn't have, huh baby boy?" It had actually surprised him that his wife had been perfectly happy to breast feed. He knew Spencer found such a thing so very foreign, but the pros outweighed her squeamishness and in the first day, Derek had delightedly listened to Spencer rattle off all the benefits and facts. Supposedly a newborn could smell their mother's milk and knew the instant they were in the room.

After a moment or two of agitated searching, Jayden realised there was nothing there and instead curled up his wee body and got comfortable in his father's arms. The infants head was slightly tilted back, his father's large hand cupping it protectively and Derek had a full few of eyes that were shaped just like Spencer's. He hoped they were the same warm whiskey shade, better than his mud brown by any length.

After a few minutes Jayden eventually slipped into sleep, content and safe, his warm weight a comforting thing. Hearing a hesitant knock, Morgan turned and a delighted grin lit up his handsome face, "Mama! Desi, Sarah! You came!" At his sudden exuberant voice, Jayden let out a distressed whimper and gently Derek soothed him and before he knew it, he was surrounded by crooning women.

"Oh! Look at him," Sarah gushed, "Oh Derek, he's gorgeous, he's just like you!"

"How's Spencer?" Fran asked her eyes fully locked on her squirming grandson. With a smile, Derek placed the baby in his mother's arms, "Oh, look at you!"

"Spencer's sore, she's taking a shower right now."

Desiree shook her head and plopped down on the end of Spencer's bed, "we've yet to see the new Spencer. Bet she's getting an understanding of the female psyche she never expected."

Derek chuckled, "in a way. She's certainly adapting a hell of a lot better then I would've in her situation, but then, Spencer was always like that."

Behind them, the door opened and in fresh pyjamas, walking a lot easier than before, Spencer stepped into the room, towel drying her sodden curls. When her honey hues took in the scene before her, the brunette's cheeks flushed slightly, "Oh, um, hey." How articulate of her, but it was the best she could come up with presently.

"You're looking better baby," Derek commented walking toward her and bending to kiss her soft cheek.

"I feel better; the shower helped a great deal."

"Wow," Desiree interrupted stepping up to expect Spencer. A grin teased at her lips when she realised just how petite Spencer's new form was, "Hello down there half pint. I no longer have to strain my neck muscles to talk to you!"

A laugh wiggled free from Spencer and just like that everyone was put at ease. Naturally Fran and the girls had a lot of questions and Spencer answered them all, only growing flustered when Desiree decided to bring up their newly improved sex life. Since Garcia had already put her through that mortification, Spencer didn't flush half as bad this time round and skilfully avoided answering. Thankfully, Fran was quick to nip that conversation in the bud.

Fussing in Fran's arms, Jayden squirmed and face scrunching up the baby broke down in the must heart wrenching wails the girls had ever heard. Spencer had taken to motherhood like a duck to water and with an easy smile she retrieved her son and settled back against her pillows. Derek helped her shield her upper body with a soft towel, and freeing one heavy breast, Spencer settled her son in to suckle. As before, it hurt at first, but soon Jayden settled into a rhythm and Spencer relaxed. She noticed Fran, Desiree and Sarah gawking at her in surprise and her cheeks burned crimson.

"What?"

"Sorry Spence," Sarah apologised quickly, "it's just, you're amazing, you know that?"

"I, eh, thank you."

Smiling Fran reached out and patted Spencer's hand, "your strength is phenomenal Spencer. I've seen women get pregnant and go downhill, women who have grown up knowing what their bodies are capable of, but you, you carried this little miracle, you gave birth to him in the most stressful conditions and now you're adapting to motherhood more so then I've seen some do."

Heat flooded Spencer's cheeks and she beamed, "thanks Fran."

"You're welcome sweetie."

"Knock, knock," head poking in the door a pretty woman of Spanish birth grinned in at them, "Hey Spencer, how are we feeling?"

"Hey Doctor Sanchez, Still sore, but I guess it could be worse."

"Yeah, you'll be sore for a few days sweetie," Sanchez said gently before making her way across the room to check Spencer's vitals, stitches and shoulder, "on the plus side baby cakes, you get to go home today."

"Really, oh thank God, not that it hasn't been fun Doctor, but I'm dying to go home!"

Thoroughly amused, Sanchez shook her head, a grin firmly in place, "I completely understand. There's just something so much nicer about healing at home, away from prying eyes."

"Indeed there is."

* * *

≠§≠

* * *

That evening when Spencer finally walked past the threshold of home she had never been so happy in all her life. Groceries in hand, Fran and the girls made a beeline for the kitchen and Jayden in her arms, Spencer headed for the living-room. She froze in the doorway, swallowing heavily at the sight of several large blood stains staining the carpet.

"Carpet's being changed Wednesday," Derek said gently from behind her, "never mind it baby, you're alright, you got away, and we're all fine."

"Just...it could've gone so wrong Derek," Spencer said in a small voice, "she came so close to killing him."

"I know baby girl," Derek said wrapping an arm about her waist and pulling her against him, "but it didn't. You protected him, nearly gave your life for him."

"Yeah well, next time. I plan to do it, in the comfort of a hospital."

Derek stiffened and a slow grin spread across his face, "Next time?"

"Well, yeah, can't have Jayden an only child now, can we?" Kissing her husband's cheek, Spencer laughed at his delighted whoop and stepped around the couch, laying Jayden in his bassinette. The couch was by far the comfiest thing she had seen in the last couple of days, and sinking down onto it, the brunette sighed with delight.

Grinning like the cat that caught the cream, Derek headed for the front door when it buzzed loudly and grinned in delight at the sight he found. They had actually come! "Hey Diana, William," the mocha skinned man greeted jubilantly, "good to see you both."

"I hope you don't mind Derek," William said stepping past the man weighed down by bags, "I may have bought a few things."

"Actually he bought out half the toy store," Diana added setting her suitcase down by the door, "William isn't one for self control."

Laughing, Derek shook his head at the pair, "its okay. Your Jayden's grandparents, it's your divine right to spoil him."

Diana and William followed Derek inside. These days Diana was doing so well, you could go days without knowing she had a mental illness. Fran, Sarah and Desiree were busy throwing together snacks and from the living-room, Derek could hear what was clearly an episode of Dr who and stepping into the room, he found his wife sleepily clicking through the channels, Jayden sound asleep in his bassinette.

"Baby," Diana called out softly.

Startled, Spencer's head snapped round and a delighted smile lit up her face, "Mom, dad, I didn't know you were coming!"

"Derek called us kiddo," William explained leaning over the couch to kiss his daughter's cheek. His eyes found the small form of his grandson and a soft smile curved his lips, "Spencer, he's perfect."

"Eight pounds even," Spencer told him proudly, "and he's the spitting image of Derek. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing."

"Hey!"

"Love you too!"

Chortling, Derek bent over the couch and kissed his wife's cheek and as their two families came together to enjoy the joy of Jayden's birth. He was perfectly content.


	10. Epilogue: Ebony Wings

_**EDITED: **I deleted this. but I've reposted it and will do an eventual sequel._

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters!_

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _**_Bring on the weirdness! Here's where the story takes a mad twist! I may have been channeling Quentin Tarentino a smidge haha Anywho enjoy my flowers! And thanks so much for reading so far and reviewing, love ya! And here is where it'll be concluded for now. __  
_

_IntoTheWilds_

_xxxx_

* * *

_Epilogue:_

**Ebony Wings:**

_Eight Months Later..._

_/Spencer didn't know what was going on. She was burning, her skin felt as if it were on fire and every muscle in her body ached so painfully. The air was heavy, too hot, too suffocating and her skin was coming apart, shredding, peeling away from her bones until she screamed._

_Her scream morphed._

_It changed and suddenly there was something not quite human about it._

_She smelt blood, could taste it on her tongue and a keening wail of hunger escaped her._

_She wanted to hunt._

_She could smell prey and it made her smile, fanged teeth glinting in the moonlight.../_

Spencer tore forward, dragging her free from the nightmare with a strangled breath. Her chest heaved up and down with each ragged gasp and she was very aware of a shrill sound in her ear. Ah, alarm clock, her addled brain supplied. Sleep tussled; the brunette slapped away the comforter and hit the little black button silencing the infernal device. It was eight am and her husband's warm weight had long left the bed.

By the sounds from downstairs, she new why and with a soft smile, the honey eyed genius slipped her feet into her UGG slippers and made her way downstairs, where Derek was whipping up breakfast, eight month old Jayden perched on his hip. Catching sight of his mother the infant let out a delighted squawk, immediately twisting in his father's grip to get to her. Laughing, Derek bent and plopped the child on his butt. Almost immediately, Jayden wiggled onto his hands and knees and tore toward Spencer, all grim determination.

"Well now, someone's getting faster," Spencer praised lifting her son once the baby reached her, "Kick daddy out of bed did you, Jay?"

"I can't believe you didn't hear him," Derek teased stealing a morning kiss when he went to grab juice from the fridge, "He only screamed the house down."

"Never heard a peep," Spencer said with a laugh settling Jayden in his high chair, "you all packed?"

"Yeah, I just put the last of Jay's things in that _minion_ suitcase Pen bought him. Are you sure you're okay with this?"

For the umpteenth time in three days Spencer rolled her eyes, "You're going to Chicago for the weekend, I think I'll survive."

"I know baby, but you haven't been apart from Jayden before."

"True, but if I back out now? Penelope will kill me. She keeps saying I need a free weekend to myself where I'm not mommy."

"Scares you that bad huh?"

"She threatened to destroy my doctor who collection, I'm not stupid."

Chuckling with a shake of his head, Derek moved and kissed his wife's cheek. With a grin Spencer dished baby porridge into a small blue bowl and settled down to feed their son. As per usual, Jayden ended up wearing more of it then actually eating it, but Spencer got enough into him with a bottle to keep the child happy. Reaching for a packet of wipes, she began to clean up the messy child and freed him from his high chair.

"Come on Jay, bath time, the wipes are not going to get this muck out of your hair."

Cooing in agreement Jayden snuggled into his mother, and Spencer could only laugh when she was smothered in porridgy nuzzles. Emerging from the bathroom twenty minutes later with one clean baby and looking rather like a drowned rat, Spencer slipped Jayden into a fresh diaper and clean clothes. The shoes were a battle, but she managed eventually to get his feet into the soft boots, just in time for Derek to grab the last of their things for their trip and while Derek entertained Jayden, Spencer grabbed a shower of her own.

Naturally, she found porridge in her russet curls. The morning was never complete unless she ended up wearing some of her son's breakfast. Sighing under the hot water, Spencer hissed and winced when certain areas ached. Frowning, her slim fingered hands searched her body and prodded. Her breasts were tender, as was her abdomen and Spencer froze. Oh God...Oh God! Was she pregnant? She had said she wanted another child, but not that soon! They had been taking precautions, but no contraceptive was an exact science, and it would just be her luck that she fell into that one percent. Bringing her to a halt, Spencer chided herself for her dramatics. So she was a little sore, it didn't automatically mean pregnancy! Rinsing herself off, Spencer promised to keep an eye on it and if necessary, she would take a test. If she was, it wasn't the end of the world.

By the time she got downstairs, Jayden was in his car seat ready for off and sound asleep.

"Oh Spence," Derek purred coming up behind his wife, fingers teasing along the hem of her jeans, "do you have any idea how good you look?"

Spencer laughed slapping Derek's hands away, "down boy, you have to leave in ten minutes if you want to catch your plane."

"You'd be surprised what I can do in ten minutes," Derek suggested waggling his eyebrows.

"No way, behave yourself," Spencer chided with a shake of her head, "come on, I'll help you strap in Jay, since you have yet to figure it out for yourself."

"Hardy har-har, you just love the fact you can do it and I can't pretty girl."

"Naturally," Spencer replied with a twinkle in her honey eyes. Bending she grabbed the handle of Jayden's seat and lifted it, shooing her husband away when he protested, "I'm fine! You don't get to fuss over me and use pregnancy as an excuse to not let me help!"

Laughing Derek held up his hands in defeat, "Alright baby girl, off you go."

With Jayden in one hand, Spencer took the handle of the SUV and opened it up, settling Jayden in on the back seat. Unlike Derek, the brunette had the child strapped in with ease and no colourful cursing like her husband would've spouted. Gently she closed the door and turned to Derek, burrowing into his warmth.

"Missing you already baby," Derek said softly kissing the top of her head. "Really wish you'd come with us."

"It's a long weekend, four days without you both, you'll survive that long without me. Plus if I back out on," Spencer flinched, "this girly weekend, Garcia will have my head."

"Beat you'd never thought you'd say that."

"Not in this lifetime at least," Spencer answered with a grimace.

Laughing, Derek dipped his head and kissed her sweetly. He knew it was only for a weekend, but he really did not want to let her go, even now her shoulder would get achy and it was a harsh reminder as was the scar that he had come so close to losing her and quite possibly Jayden. With a final kiss, Derek climbed into his SUV and just like that he was backing from the drive way, his baby girl waving from the front porch and Clooney at her feet and with a beep of the horn, he was gone.

"Come on Cloon," Spencer said after a moment, "let's go make some use of today, before Garcia invades tomorrow."

The Rottweiler yipped as if in agreement and Spencer drifted back into the house, looking about for annnnnnything to do. Anything started off with chores. Spencer scrubbed the house within an inch of its life and even took it upon her to finish the painting in the downstairs bathroom. Afterward, she brought Clooney on a three mile walk and returned to the house for some quality time with Doctor Who. Food was squeezed in there somewhere and by evening time, fire roaring in the grate, Spencer sat curled up with a book, which was when it happened.

At first, she noticed nothing, only the obvious signs of her scratching. Every now and again she reached up to scratch her cheek, her throat, her belly and eventually the itch under her skin was everywhere! Wondering had she taken an allergic reaction to something, Spencer set down the Charles Dickens novel and stood up. Clooney didn't so much as twitch and heading upstairs, the genius stripped from her clothing and sure enough her skin was rather raw looking, the creamy white an angry red. Itch persisting, Spencer irritably scratched and wondered if she should head to the A and E. She didn't suffer from allergies normally, so it was a bit of a surprise.

And that was before the pain.

A ripple ran through her muscles and Spencer yelped when all at once they went into a vicious spasm. Legs buckling, the female landed heavily on her hands and knees and tried desperately to think past her sudden agony, but every move was a horrendous white hot brand and it was only growing worse. Phone, she needed a phone, she needed an ambulance, but that was not happening, not when her pain suddenly piqued and suddenly groans weren't enough, Spencer was screaming, writhing on the floor of her bedroom, blinded by the ache that had trapped her.

It felt like hours and when the pain finally passed, the lithe genius was curled up in an agonised ball, barely coherent. Hazel eyes darting this way and that, Spencer's gaze latched onto the full length mirror a few feet away and the youth went rigid. _He_ scrambled to _his_ feet, wincing when his body protested and taking a proper look at himself, Spencer laughed out loud and the sound of his normal voice was by far the best thing he had heard in a while. He was himself again! Whatever Nora Simpson had done, had worn off!

Of course the cosmos just loved throwing a spanner in the works. Right before his eyes, Spencer watched in horror as his alabaster skin began to turn a silvery grey. The change in colour spread through-out his body and before he knew it, the shade was completed and God, oh God, he was covered in a fine layer of fur that had sprouted out of nowhere. Coppery ringlets losing their curl, falling straight down in a wild mess, Spencer was stunned when it turned ebony black. His eyes were next, the white sclera turning black, the honey shade of his irises disappearing until they were nothing but black pits.

Oh God, what was happening to him? And then in between one second and the next, his pain returned, only tenfold. There was no time to go for help, no one to call out for, nothing existed but the pain and Spencer could almost feel his mind disintegrating. Thoughts gave way to instincts, scents and sounds assaulted his senses. Nora's serum had mutated somehow, his weakening mind told him and that meant trouble.

Suddenly it didn't matter, because the abyss had come and Spencer welcomed it with open arms.

The End!

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

_"And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." _

**_- -Friedrich Nietzsche_**


End file.
